Cambodia to focus on infrastructure development at forthcoming B&R forum: PM

PHNOM PENH - Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Thursday that the country would focus on connectivity infrastructure development during a Belt and Road forum in Beijing next month.

"I will attend the Belt and Road Forum for international cooperation in China in May. At the same time, I will also pay an official visit to China," he said during the inauguration ceremony of a China-funded road on the eastern outskirts of Phnom Penh.

"Our main goal is to focus on infrastructure development," the prime minister said.

He added that Cambodia needs $500-700 million a year for infrastructure development such as roads, bridges, electric power and irrigation system.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen highly valued the Belt and Road Initiative, saying that it would provide enormous benefits to Cambodia and all participating countries.

Chinese Ambassador Xiong Bo said the Cambodian prime minister's forthcoming trip to China would definitely elevate the Sino-Cambodian relationship to a new high.

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, known as Belt and Road Initiative, was proposed by China in 2013 with the aim of building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes.

To support the initiative, China has established the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with an initial capital of $100 billion and the Silk Road Fund with a funding of $40 billion.