PM denies Preah Sihanouk project is ‘debt-trap port development to China’

The government yesterday came down strongly on analysts’ groundless reports claiming deep port development in the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk is a debt trap to China. Prime Minister Hun Sen made this remark while presiding over the groundbreaking ceremony of the Japan-funded $20 million sewage treatment plant located south of Phnom Penh.

The remark was made in response to criticisms over the government getting a concessional loan from China likened to the case of cash-strapped Sri Lanka to China. The country’s solo deep seaport development has received assistance and concessional loans from the Japanese government, Mr Hun Sen said, dismissing baseless extremist analysts for claiming that this is related to China’s debt trap.

The deep port has received assistance from the government and China’s debt trap like the case in Sri Lanka is not true, he added. Acknowledging Japanese assistance and loans to the port development, Mr Hun Sen said in a questioning tone: “They make analysis that the port could be in a debt trap to China. Japan builds and Japan helps. How could it be China’s debt trap?”

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