2016年CRI Xi's visit to Cambodia to bring opportunities for both sides

Cambodia will be the first stop of the Chinese President's upcoming five-day foreign tour.

With major travel routes passing through it, Cambodia has been considered a key spot on the Maritime 1 Silk Road since ancient times.

In recent years, as peace has returned to the country, Cambodia has managed to maintain growth rates above 7 percent.

Its favorable business environment has attracted many Chinese companies to invest there.

The Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, a model project under China's Belt and Road Initiative, is situated 2 in the coastal 3 province of Preah Sihanouk in southwestern Cambodia.

The zone was launched eight years ago under the financing of four private Chinese enterprises and one Cambodian company.

This project has now become a local growth engine.

Chen Jiangang is the director of the board with Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone Corporation.

"The first phase of our project has finished. We have built a 5-square-kilometer area, equipped with sound infrastructure 4, including roads, water and power supplies, as well as telecommunication 5 facilities. Our industrial park meets international standards in terms of livability, production capacity, and environment. It is also the biggest industrial park in Cambodia. The park has 102 companies and provided jobs to 16 thousand local people."

The Cambodian government sees the economic zone as a key engine for economic development.

During President Xi's stay in Cambodia, he will meet King Norodom Sihamoni and hold talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen to discuss cooperative deals.

Zhang Xuegang from China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations said the state visit may bring cooperation in more areas.

"I believe President Xi's visit will help facilitate the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in Cambodia and further enhance the general layout for the implementation 6 of the initiative. It will also bring concrete enhancement to cooperation in many other areas, including personnel training, human resources, finance, and telecoms."

He added that the president's visit comes at an important time and will further enhance bilateral 7 relations.

"In terms of tourism and people-to-people exchanges, including communication between students, scholars, officials, and party members, China-Cambodia ties will be further enhanced. The visit will also help start a new stage for ever-close communications between Chinese and Cambodian people."

Chairman Chen Jiangang said President Xi's visit also means more opportunities for enterprises.

"President Xi's visit to Cambodia will definitely push China-Cambodia friendship to a new height. Meanwhile, I believe his visit will also deepen cooperation between the two countries in many areas including economy and trade, creating a favorable environment for business."

President Xi will also visit Bangladesh following his stay in Cambodia.

His journey will conclude with his attendance at the 8th BRICS Summit in India, where he will exchange views with other BRICS leaders and meet business leaders.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.