Long Dimanche, Deputy Governor of Preah Sihanouk Province, and Tu Xiaogang Du Xiaogang, Party Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Committee in Wuxi, on December 17, chaired an online meeting on promoting regional development. Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone 2.0 (SSEZ), which is up 40% in value.
Xiaogang, said that the video meeting was to determine the future of the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, which started in 2008 and is still in operation today.
Enterprises have invested a total of about $1.366 billion. From January to November, the total value of exports and imports at SSEZ totaled more than $2 billion, up 40% from the prior year.
The SSEZ has become a symbol of friendship between the two provinces and will be included in the final decision list at the 2nd “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit recognised by the two heads of state.
This achievement is said to be inseparable from the support of the Sihanoukville provincial administration and also inseparable from the indications of Jiangsu Province.
He stressed that Wuxi City is implementing the initiative of President Xi Jinping to mobilise resources and activities to promote the development of special economic zones for Cambodia-China friendship and cooperation between the two provinces.
Efforts to operate on industrial roads benefit both sides, promote Economic Zone 2.0 as a stepping stone to better integrate its own advantages and characteristics, constantly expand the scope of industrial cooperation, expand the scope of enterprise cooperation to achieve prosperity.
Dimanche, the Deputy Governor of Sihanoukville, said that Sihanoukville and Wuxi are sister provinces, despite the Covid-19 crisis, both sides have maintained communication and organised online events.
There is also the support of the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Administration and the Jiangsu Cross Branch for the benefit of the people of the two countries on the basis of equality and mutual trust for the common good.
Comprehensive strategic partnership includes Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen’s Rectangular Strategy and President Xi Jinping’s “One Belt, One Road” policy aimed at maintaining peace and development between the two countries.
The Deputy Governor confirmed that Sihanoukville Province has 11 Special Economic Zones registered with the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), of which Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone was inaugurated in 2008 under the high presidency of Mr Hun Sen.
The special economic zone was set up by Hodo Group from Wuxi, Jiangsu Province. The two provinces have identified Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone as a bridge and a platform for deepening exchanges in the fields of economy, trade, education, health and infrastructure which have achieved proud results and established close cooperation.
SSEZ has attracted 170 enterprises and private institutions from China, Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia and other regions, creating nearly 30,000 jobs, with import and export value up 40%.
The SSEZ has also provided a lot of benefits and jobs to Sihanoukville, reduces migration and poverty, and also acts as a gateway for trade and comprehensive international trade cooperation in the region and the world.
On that occasion, there was also a signing ceremony, including: 1. The signing ceremony of Jiangsu General Science Technology Co., Ltd. tire project. 2. The signing ceremony of the agreement to provide construction assistance for kindergartens and toilets for the Sihanoukville-Jiangsu Friendship Primary and Secondary School between the Red Cross branches of Wuxi and Jiangsu provinces and the Cambodian Red Cross branch in Sihanoukville.