Chinese Aid to Cambodia Hailed by Leaders, Questioned by Opposition
Agence Kampuchea Presse 24 Dec 08
Chinese Aid to Cambodia Hailed by Leaders, Questioned by Opposition
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| Hun Sen shaking hands with Wen Jiabao (Agence Kampuchea Press, 8 Apr 2006) | China's outreach to Cambodia appears to be bearing fruit given the upbeat pronouncements by Cambodian leaders and the publicized economic cooperation between the two countries. China is reportedly building roads in Cambodia and recently unveiled a Chinese-language radio station aimed at Chinese living in Cambodia.
- Prime Minister Hun Sen has said that China's emerging influence does not constitute a threat to any country and is actually beneficial to the region and the world.
- Cambodia's tilt toward China has prompted Hun Sen's critics to voice concern over the level of Beijing's aid and what is seen as its negative impact on the country's natural resources.
- Timeline assessments of Sino-Cambodian visits (see reference section below) shows that there were 43 known Chinese official visits to Cambodia between January 2003 and April 2008, outreach that drew 20 known Cambodian delegations to China during the same period.
- While Cambodian leaders do not typically comment on either relations with the United States or on the status of Washington's influence in Southeast Asia, there has been limited, although dated, media comment speculating that Beijing's wooing of Cambodia is part of a larger effort to check US influence in Southeast Asia.
Leaders Praise, Defend China's Role
Cambodian leaders have said they view China's emerging economic and military influence as serving the interests of both countries and the region as a whole.
- A report aired on Cambodia's National Television station (TVK) on 15 December 2008 showed Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni receiving Chen Zhili, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress. The report quoted Sihamoni as reaffirming the stock line that it is "important to further tighten, strengthen, and deepen the relations of friendship between the peoples of our two brotherly countries."
- On the same day, the Cambodian state news agency, Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP), reported that Chen Zhili on 12 December separately met Chea Sim, president of the Cambodian Senate; Heng Samrin and Nguon Nhel, respectively president and first vice president of the Cambodian National Assembly. According to the report, Chea Sim "reaffirmed the Cambodian Government's stance for the 'One China' policy" and also said: "Cooperation between Cambodia and China in all domains, especially the cooperation between the two legislative bodies, has been further strengthened."
- Hun Sen has depicted China's development as "providing a golden opportunity for the region" (AKP, 4 February 2008).
- State-run TVK on 15 March 2007 aired a speech made by Hun Sen in Prey Veng Province on the same day to launch the construction of China-funded "National Route 8" in eastern Cambodia leading to the Vietnamese border in Prey Veng Province. He said China's progress is "not a threat to anybody. By contrast, this region and the world will benefit from the PRC's strong growth."
Opposition Expresses Concern Over China Aid, Impact on Resources
Members of the opposition have criticized China's influence on Cambodia and ASEAN, with one official claiming the PRC was used to take natural resources from other countries and journalists saying it had used Cambodia as a proxy voice within ASEAN.
- A report in the 15 December 2008 issue of the anti-government newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer said: "During the recent visit of one of China's top communist leaders, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Jia Qinling, China promised to massively assist Cambodia. However, while making this huge aid pledge, the Chinese were eyeing Cambodia's iron ores, petroleum deposit, and many other natural resources that would bring them greater dividends from their investment. Therefore, Chinese aid is not really beneficial to Cambodia's development. It is undoubtedly a very self-serving assistance."
- An earlier Moneaksekar Khmer report quoted Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, as saying the "Hun Sen government says that China is the nicest donor, since they give without any human rights or anti-corruption agenda." This same report quoted Ou Vireak as also saying "China is playing politics in Cambodia. It is very scary that China is interfering more deeply in Cambodian affairs" (Moneaksekar Khmer, 10 December).
Chinese Language Radio Station, Newspapers Available
A telling sign of Chinese influence in Cambodia is the recent launch of a new Chinese Government-affiliated radio station in Phnom Penh. In addition, a few Chinese-language newspapers are also available in country.
- FM 96.5 MHz broadcasts "programs in Cambodian, Putonghua, Teow Cheow, and English." According to a Beijing Xinhua Asia-Pacific report in Chinese on 11 December, this is "the 19th radio station set up by China International Broadcast Station [CIBS] outside China." The report also said that the radio station is "jointly run by CIBS and the Cambodian National Radio" and that it "would operate 18 hours daily, from 0600 till 2400 hours."
- The announcement regarding the launch of the new radio station was part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of China-Cambodia diplomatic relations. The radio was inaugurated in the presence of Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, Zhang Jinfeng, and CIBS Director Wang Gengnian.
- China's state news agency Xinhua reestablished its office in Phnom Penh in 1991 and several Chinese-language newspapers, some of which were published in the 1960s but disappeared during the political upheavals in the country. Several of those papers are available once again, including the following three major publications: Jian Hua Daily, Cambodia Sin Chew Daily, and The Commercial News.
China's Outreach Intended To Offset US Influence in Region
There has been scattered comment suggesting that China expanded influence in Asia is aimed at checking the role usually played by the US in the region.
- Lao Mong-hai, director of the Phnom Penh-based nongovernmental organization, Cambodian Institute for Democracy, said: "New Chinese influence has been imposed in Cambodia," according to an article published in the pro-CPP Cambodian newspaper Wat Phnum on 29 June 2001. He argued that "Cambodia could again become the first country to be used in the strategic and geo-political game of China and the United States, the most powerful countries in the world."
- On 10 November 2000, The Phnom Penh Post carried an article on Chinese President Jiang Zemin's 13 November 2000 visit to Cambodia that said that "Asian diplomats" interviewed by The Phnom Penh Post "tended to say that Cambodia, like Thailand, saw China as providing a balance to the world's only superpower."
"My Khmer Compatriots, ask not what Cambodia and her People can do for you, ask what you can do for Cambodia and her People" The Khmer Politicians have only interpreted the Cambodia and her beloved people in various ways. The point, however, is to change it... ---Khmer Blood--- |
