CNS: What tangible benefits has the Belt and Road Initiative brought to the participating countries and their people? What is your outlook on the next stage of China-Cambodia cooperation?
Mey Kalyan: Cambodia is a good neighbor of China, and the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative by the two countries has brought significant changes to Cambodia. For example, the hydropower station built by China and many “small yet smart” programs assisted by China have improved the living conditions of the Cambodian people, and the construction of highways, bridges, and airports has enhanced Cambodia’s domestic and international connectivity. All this provides strong support for Cambodia’s economic growth.
From a macro perspective, the Belt and Road Initiative includes huge infrastructure construction projects. It plays a positive role in promoting the long-term economic and social development of the participating countries and contributes to their domestic, regional, and international economic, trade, and cultural exchanges and cooperation.
The joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has also promoted the exchanges and cooperation between Cambodia and China at the level of human resources and technical thought. The Chinese government provides scholarships for Cambodian students to study in China every year, and an increasing number of Cambodian students are now studying in China. At the same time, I myself and many friends around are learning Chinese. Mastering the language is the first step to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China.
In the future, the two countries can cooperate in cutting-edge areas such as scientific and technological innovation and digital economy. There is still large room for both sides to cooperate in digital finance and artificial intelligence. As an economist and user of technological products, I must emphasize that technological ethics are required to steer technological development in the right direction. How to make technology better improve the quality of human life is an issue that needs us to explore together.
I have full confidence in the future of Cambodia’s cooperation with China in the Belt and Road construction. Cambodia will actively learn from the “Chinese solutions” and strive to realize national modernization and achieve the goals of economic development. At the same time, Cambodia will continue to make due contributions to the high-quality Belt and Road construction, share the fruits of development with China and other participating countries, and seek common development and prosperity.
CNS: What are the major achievements since the implementation of the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)? How can the two countries use the policy dividends released by CCFTA and RCEP to promote bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation?
Mey Kalyan: For Cambodia and other ASEAN countries, China is a big market. The implementation of CCFTA has lowered trade barriers, promoted the free flow of goods and services between Cambodia and China, and increased bilateral trade volume. The CCFTA and RCEP have opened a door for bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation, further enhanced economic ties between ASEAN member states and China as well as other countries, and provided new impetus for the development of regional economic integration.
Facing the vast Chinese market, Cambodia needs to think about how to create more and better export products. In the future, the two countries can continue to strengthen trade facilitation, reduce trade barriers, simplify procedures, and improve efficiency. The two sides can also strengthen cooperation in innovation, science and technology, talent cultivation, etc., promote in-depth development of bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation, and jointly build an open and inclusive economic system that benefits all.
Edited by Wang Zonghan
2024.6.28
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