Hun Sen praised China for providing unconditional aid to Cambodia

Thursday, June 7, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Prime Minister Hun Sen praised China for providing unconditional aid to Cambodia. Hun Sen made the praise during the opening ceremony for the Prek Ta Meak bridge construction site, on Wednesday. The bridge will be built with Chinese loan. Hun Sen declared that Chinese aid to Cambodia is based on actual needs and it is not linked to any condition, nor will China ask for any payment back. Hun Sen said: “Normally, Chinese aid comes with no condition imposed, based on our need, we requested a bridge in Prek Ta Meak, then they sent people to build the Prek ta Meak bridge without attaching any condition such as telling us to do this or that before they provide us (the aid).” In the past, Hun Sen was irritated with donor countries which imposed on the government to improve its governance, or to ratify the anti-corruption law, etc… Hun Sen considered these demands as violations of Cambodia’s sovereignty.

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KI-Media Note: China Xinhua news agency indicated that the bridge will be built by a Chinese company (and a Chinese company only), and will be finance by a preferential buyer's credit loan from China. Therefore, Cambodian children will have to pay back this loan way after Hun Sen is long gone from power. Click here to read Xinhua's article.

China is helping Cambodia spend Chinese money, using Chinese-provided services

March 16, 2007
Cambodia holds ceremony for construction of national road No. 8

Cambodian government held ground breaking ceremony on Thursday in Prey Veng for the construction of national road No. 8, which is under preferential buyer's credit loan from China.

The Chinese government is willing to help Cambodia to develop its economy by a variety of approaches, including preferential buyer's credit loan, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jinfeng said at the ceremony, which was attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and other government officials.

China plays an important role in the construction of Cambodian roads and bridges, Hun Sen said while addressing the ceremony, adding that China's development is beneficial to Cambodia.

At the ceremony, Hun Sen and Zhang Jinfeng operated heavy equipment, such as bulldozer and road roller, for the symbol of the ground breaking of the road construction.

According to the project information, the national road No. 8 from Khsach Kandal to the Cambodia-Vietnam border Anlong Chrey, has a length of 109 km.

The China Eximbank signed an agreement with Cambodian government on Jan. 22 to offer 207 million U.S. dollars of loans to develop Cambodian infrastructure construction, including the construction of the National Road No. 8, the National Road No. 76 and two bridges.

Source: Xinhua

Chinese companies sign agreements on building power projects in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese companies here on Friday signed several agreements with Cambodian government officials on building a hydropower plant and an electricity transmission network for the kingdom.

The plant in Battambang province will cost 190 million U.S. dollars and can generate 465 million kilowatt-hour of electricity per year, said Deputy Prime Minister Sok An while addressing the ceremony.

The power transmission network will be constructed at the cost 113 million U.S. dollars to connect Phnom Penh, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat and Battambang, he said.

The Cambodian government adopts BOT pattern (build, operate and transfer) for both projects, he said.

They are expected to benefit the kingdom in the fields of energy production, flood prevention, employment expansion, and tax enhancement, he added.

China Yunnan Corporation for International Techno-Economic Cooperation and Yunnan Southeast-Asia Economy and Technology Investment Industrial Co., Ltd. undertake the construction and development of both projects.

Representatives from the two companies, the Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy, and the Electricity Authority of Cambodia signed the agreements in the presence of Sok An, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jinfeng and other senior Cambodian government officials.

Currently, Cambodia does not have the infrastructure to generate enough electricity to meet the growing demand, which has been rising 15 percent to 20 percent per year, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

Start of the Chinese-financed road projects, built by the China Road and Bridge Corp.

February 15, 2007
Cambodia holds ground breaking ceremony for construction of new road

Cambodian government held ground breaking ceremony here on Wednesday for the construction of national road No. 76, which is under preferential loan from China.

The ceremony, attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jinfeng, was held at the start point of the road in Snoul, Kratie province.

The ground breaking ceremony marks the start of four projects under the preferential buyer's credit loan from the Import-Export Bank of China (China Eximbank), Zhang said, adding that the Chinese government hopes the construction of those projects can help improve Cambodia's transportation environment and promote the economical development.

Hun Sen expressed his appreciation to the Chinese embassy, the China Road and Bridge Corporation as the contractor of the project and the concerned departments of the Cambodian government, saying that their efforts have made the project start shortly after it was initiated less than a year ago.

According to plan, the national road No. 76 from the junction of national road No. 7 in Snoul, Kratie province to Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri province, has a length of 127 km.

The China Eximbank signed an agreement with Cambodian government on Jan. 22 to offer 207 million U.S. dollars of loans to develop Cambodian infrastructure construction, including the construction of National Road No. 8 from Khsach Kandal to the Cambodian-Vietnamese border, the National Road No.76 and two bridges.

Source: Xinhua