PHNOM PENH: High-level delegations from Cambodia’s Preah Sihanouk province and China’s Jiangsu province met on June 7 to strengthen economic cooperation, with a particular focus on increasing investment in Preah Sihanouk.
H.E. Mang Sineth, Governor of Preah Sihanouk province, led the Cambodian delegation and was warmly received by H.E. Xu Kunlin, Governor of Jiangsu province, in Nanjing, Jiangsu’s capital.
During their discussions, Governor Xu highlighted Jiangsu’s robust economy, emphasising its strengths in industry, manufacturing, and high technology, along with its strategic geographical advantages.
Both governors lauded the enduring friendship between Cambodia and China, which officially began in 1958 and marks its 67th anniversary this year. They reaffirmed their commitment to the “diamond cooperation” and “ironclad friendship” that characterise the Cambodia-China strategic partnership. This partnership aligns with Cambodia’s Pentagonal Strategy under Cambodia’s Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet and China’s Belt and Road Initiative championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Preah Sihanouk has established sister-city relationships with 20 Chinese provinces and cities, including Jiangsu and Wuxi, underscoring the expanding local-level cooperation.
Governor Mang Sineth conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet and proposed several initiatives to deepen collaboration: Encouraging Jiangsu-based investors to increase their capital investments in Preah Sihanouk; Expanding direct flights between Wuxi (Jiangsu) and Sihanoukville to boost tourism and business exchanges; Constructing an 18-classroom school building at the Sihanoukville-Jiangsu Friendship Primary and Secondary School to address educational needs, especially for children of residents and factory workers in the special economic zone; Providing higher education scholarships for Preah Sihanouk students to study in Jiangsu.
In response, Governor Xu expressed full support for the proposals. He confirmed that the Jiangsu Department of Commerce has been tasked with organising a delegation of 50 Chinese companies to explore investment opportunities in Preah Sihanouk in the near future.