PHNOM PENH, Nov. 29, 2011– Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dr.
Sok An, told European Union diplomats on Monday that Cambodia welcomes all
investments, not only from China, but also from the EU and other countries.
In response to a question by the Polish Ambassador, who asked about
Cambodia’s view of China’s presence in Asia in terms of politics and economics,
H.E. Sok An said, “Cambodia’s foreign policy is that we have no enemy. We open
our investment opportunities to everyone. We never consider this or that
country as an enemy or adversary.”
Dr. Sok An said that Cambodia signed investment deals not only with
Chinese companies but also with those from the EU and other countries as well.
The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that Cambodia went through hardship,
after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, as a result of an economic embargoed
by the West in the 1980s. Cambodia now welcomes all investments for sustainable
development for the benefit of its people and nation, whose infrastructure was
devastated by more than 30 years of civil war.
Dr. Sok An told the 15 EU diplomats, led by UK Ambassador Mark Gooding,
that since 1999 Cambodia has made much progress thanks to the wise policy of
the Royal Government under the leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo
Hun Sen.
Cambodia’s growth was in double digit from 2002 to 2007, before the
global financial crisis sparked in 2008, said Dr. Sok An, who is also Minister
in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers.
Ambassador Gooding said in the meeting that he has seen Cambodia’s
progress in many aspects over the last decade and is looking forward to
continue working with Cambodia. Two-way trade between EU and Cambodia has
increased 50 percent, said Mr. Gooding.
Dr. Sok An said that Cambodia has great potential for investment in
agriculture, tourism and garment industry.
Cambodia is aiming to export one million tonnes of clean rice by 2015.
The country has about 4 million tonnes of surplus paddy rice a year. Cambodia’s
farmers who live near the borders with Thailand and Vietnam sell their surplus
rice to neighbouring traders. But with a new rice policy, Cambodia hopes to
arrange more exports oriented to overseas markets for more profit to its people.
Cambodia last year received 2.7 million tourists and hopes to increase
this in the future thanks to the country’s peace, stability, cultural heritage
and eco-tourism.
The World Tourism Organisation reported that Cambodia’s tourism nets
about $2 billion a year, about 12 percent of its GDP.
Cambodia ratified the international labour standards in the late 1990s,
which also attracted more investment to the kingdom, where garment factories
mushroomed and created jobs for local people. H.E. Dr. Sok An said that 60
percent of Cambodia’s garment products are exported to the U.S. market and 23
percent to the EU and the rest to Asian markets.
The Deputy Prime Minister said that Cambodia is continuing to strengthen
the rule of law, including the drafting of a law on non-government
organizations (NGOs) and associations. Dr. Sok An told the delegation that this
draft legislation is now being examined by legal experts and the Ministry of Interior
to ensure it is appropriate.