Preah Sihanouk province and Jiangsu province of the People’s Republic of China Sunday signed a strategic cooperation agreement between Jiangyin Port and the Preah Sihanouk Autonomous Port to enhance collaboration in transportation, trade and investment.
Mang Sineth, Preah Sihanouk provincial Governor, and Zhao Jianjun, Governor of Wuxi city, Jiangsu province signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Wuxi city, China.
Zhao Jianjun outlined three key objectives for Wuxi city’s cooperation with Preah Sihanouk province including promoting the development of the Preah Sihanouk Special Economic Zone (SSEZ), attracting investment from Wuxi city to Preah Sihanouk province, and fostering people-to-people exchanges, according to a statement from the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration.
As part of the first objective, he presented an ambitious vision to attract 300 companies to the Preah Sihanouk Special Economic Zone and create 80,000 jobs.
“I seek support for the development of the solar and green energy sector and the need to reduce transportation costs,” Zhao Jianjun said, adding, “In addition, I would like to express my congratulations on the launch of the direct flight between Wuxi city and Preah Sihanouk province, which commenced on May 18, 2025.”
The Wuxi city governor expressed a strong desire to enhance cooperation in skills development and promote people-to-people exchanges in areas such as education, healthcare, and cultural tourism.
Expressing gratitude to Zhao Jianjun for the warm welcome extended to the Preah Sihanouk delegation, Governor Mang Sineth said, “The three strategic goals proposed by Zhao Jianjun are fully aligned with the priorities of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC).”
Sineth also took the opportunity to highlight the long-standing friendship between Cambodia and China and reaffirmed the commitment of the provincial administration to supporting the continued development of the Preah Sihanouk Special Economic Zone.
Both sides further expressed their support for strengthening people-to-people exchanges, encouraging citizens of Wuxi and Preah Sihanouk to visit each other’s tourist destinations and to participate in joint tourism promotion activities.
It may be recalled that last month Prime Minister Hun Manet presiding over a celebration ceremony for welcoming 200 investment companies and a meeting with workers and employees in SSEZ, noted that historically the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) has been unique among economic zones in Cambodia as it has received strong recognition, support, and cooperation through agreements aimed at strengthening relations and promoting continuous development at all levels between the Cambodian and Chinese governments.
He added that the zone, which first broke ground in 2008, has played a key role in the joint implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.
According to a recent report from the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), in the first four months of 2025, bilateral trade between Cambodia and China reached $5.69 billion, a 27 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The report added that Cambodian exports to China saw a slight dip of 1.7 percent year-on-year, totalling $478.63 million. In contrast, imports from China jumped significantly by 30.5 percent, reaching $5.21 billion.
