Chinese investment giant Wuxi Guolian Group has expressed an intention in contributing to the development of the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) through investment in the processing of agricultural products for export to China.
Hua Xiao Feng, vice-chairman of Wuxi Guolian Group, met with Chea Vuthy, secretary-general of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), at the CDC headquarters on the morning of June 27.
Hua expressed gratitude to the CDC leadership for their consistent support for investors from Jiangsu province and for providing valuable recommendations concerning business activities in Cambodia. He also highlighted the background of Wuxi Guolian Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise based in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, with a history of more than a century.
He noted that the company is engaged in multiple sectors, including finance, stock markets, manufacturing, green and renewable energy, airport and hotel projects, as well as subway infrastructure.
“Wuxi Guolian Group is committed to contributing to the growth of the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone and promoting the processing of agricultural products for export to China. Through this meeting, we hope the Cambodian government will continue supporting investors from Wuxi city as well as the Sihanoukville SEZ,” he said.
Vuthy welcomed the delegation and briefed them on Cambodia’s investment landscape, as well as the current state of its SEZs. He also thanked the Wuxi city administration for actively encouraging and supporting investment in Cambodia, especially in the SSEZ.
He also highlighted the importance of accelerating the development of the “Industrial and Technology Corridor” and the “Fish and Rice Corridor” as strategic initiatives to attract more investment. He noted that the Cambodian government has placed significant emphasis on diversifying markets for agricultural exports, including increasing access to the Chinese market.
“We urge the Chinese side to promote more investment in the production of raw materials or semi-finished goods in Cambodia to ensure the stability of supply chains and increase added value. I am optimistic and strongly hope that Wuxi Guolian Group will continue encouraging investors from Wuxi to invest in Cambodia. This will strengthen Cambodia-China cooperation, especially bilateral investment relations between Wuxi City and Cambodia,” he added.
Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, told The Post that Chinese investors have played a key role in Cambodia, particularly over the past decade. He noted that Chinese investment spans nearly every sector — from agriculture, agro-industry and manufacturing to real estate and services.
He added that besides direct investment, China has also brought in raw materials and semi-finished products for processing in Cambodia, before exporting to markets like the US, Canada and Europe.
“Chinese investment has brought many benefits to Cambodia, such as creating job opportunities, increasing household incomes and helping transform Cambodia into an exporter of more goods to international markets,” he said.
According to the CDC, of the 414 investment projects approved in 2024, 49.82% originated from China.
In 2024, bilateral trade between Cambodia and China reached $15.19 billion, up 23.8% over 2023. Chinese imports totalled $13.44 billion, up 24.6%, exports to China were $1.75 billion, up 18.4%.
