China
also aims to boost the livelihood of Cambodians living in remote areas
and provide scholarships for Cambodian university students.
Pin Sisovann, VOA Khmer
04 February 2016
PHNOM PENH—
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong is in China this week for official talks aimed at strengthening trade and security ties.
Hor
Namhong told reporters before his departure both sides want to see
trade between them increased to $5 billion in 2017, including increased
imports by China of Cambodian rubber, cassava powder, pepper and sugar.
China
also aims to boost the livelihood of Cambodians living in remote areas
and provide scholarships for Cambodian university students.
Hor
Namhong also dismissed reports that he was visiting China in response
to last week’s talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry. “I told him
that Cambodia was China’s friend,” Hor Namhong said. “Everyone knows
that. But Cambodia also wants to be close with the US.”
Hor
Namhong told reporters Cambodia remains neutral on regional issues like
the South China Sea. While Cambodia has a strategic relationship with
China, Prime Minister Hun Sen is also seeking closer ties to Japan, he
said.
Chak
Sopheap, head of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, welcomed the
government’s attempts at diplomacy with the US and China. Improved
relations with the US will not hurt Cambodia, she told VOA Khmer. The US
wants to strengthen human rights and democracy in Cambodia, and that’s a
good thing, she said.
“Things are going to be better when Cambodia tries to improve human rights and democratic values,” she said.
Aid
from China comes without overt conditions, but Chinese investments are
deeply embedded throughout Cambodia. “We should examine that clearly,”
she said. “There are no conditions concerning human rights or democracy,
as with other nations, such as the EU and the US. We still see other
relations, such as their coming in to invest, something that is hidden.
This point, we should also take into account.”
Kerry
made clear the US position on human rights, freedoms and good
governance, she said. After talks with Hun Sen and Hor Namhong last
week, Kerry said progress in those areas was “critical” to a fuller
bilateral relationship with the US. In discussions with civil society
organizations, he reiterated the same, Chak Sopheap said.
3 comments:
Just wait till China exploits all of Khmer's natural resources [high and dry], What then? Will Khmer be rich just like those South Africans?
china and now saudi arabia have been buying farmlands in the US to grow crops [ hay or alfafa ] to be exported back to their country for cattle feeds... number reason for this exploit : to save water and prevent soil depletion [ minerals etc.. ] in their own country. Damage someone else country first while saving yours for future generation..
I believe more one way trade than to way business . How many billions Khmer owed China,this mortgaged patron cannot give you more freedom choice to trade. How many resources mineral, mine , forests ,lands that China grab from Khmer?
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