US House Rep Richardson on Four-Day Visit to Cambodia

Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC
Friday, 31 December 2010

Photo: Courtesy of Laura Richardson Congresswoman Laura Richardson at her local swearing-in ceremony, flanked by Port of Long Beach Commissioner, Dr. Mike Walters and California State University, Long Beach President, Dr. F. King Alexander.

California Democratic Representative Laura Richardson is in Cambodia for a four-day fact-finding mission to Cambodia.

A staff member for her office in Washington said Richardson, whose 37^thdistrict includes much of Long Beach, would “assess the political, social and economic situation of Cambodia and analyze the importance of the region to the US.”

Richardson’s visit follows a high-profile trip by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in November and  amid the growing influence of China in the region.

Richardson, who is a member of the House of Representative’s Homeland Security Committee, is expected to meet with officials from the Foreign Ministry, business community and anti-trafficking and counter-terrorism authorities.

Cambodia has been cooperative with the US’s fight against terrorism, but it remains on a watch list for human trafficking. Richardson is scheduled to leave Saturday.