Chinese ‘Looking Closely’ at Kingdom’s Agriculture Sector

[geovalin]

Khmer Times/Chea Vannak

Increasingly closer ties between Phnom Penh and Beijing are spurring a rise of Chinese investment into the Kingdom, with businesses from the world’s second-largest economy now taking a closer look at Cambodia’s agricultural sector, Chinese officials said during a press tour last week to the country’s eastern Fujian province. Executives in Fujian see Cambodia as an attractive destination for investment in agriculture and garment factories, said Chen Hui, the vice-president of Quanzhou City’s chamber of commerce. The city, which is Fujian province’s port, last year set up a council to work with Cambodian rice exporters, he said.

The council was set up to work out shipping logistics and enhance cooperation in agriculture, Mr. Chen said, adding that construction materials, machinery and tech products are the province’s main exports to Cambodia. Chinese importers are focused on Cambodian rice and this is why Quanzhou set up its first agriculture cooperation office in Cambodia, Mr. Chen said.

He said Cambodia was the top “hub” for investment from Fujian province in ASEAN, especially the garment and agriculture sectors “Although Cambodia is not among the top five countries for exports and imports from Quanzhou, it is a good place for agricultural investment,” Mr. Chen said.

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