Monday, 22 August 2011
Vong Sokheng and Don Weinland
Phnom Penh Post
CAMBODIA agreed to acquire Chinese-made Z-9 helicopters for US$195 million in one of 26 memorandums of understanding agreed by the two countries on Saturday.
Cooperation was pledged in sectors such as energy, mining, agriculture and road construction, as well as defence spending and aid. The two-day meeting also saw deals inked involving Cambodian conglomerate Royal Group and the Chinese backers of the controversial Boeung Kak lake development.
Led by Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang, the Chinese delegation met with Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday.
“[Hun Sen and Zhou] have exchanged views on this new era of cooperation between Cambodia and China,” Eang Sophalleth, Hun Sen’s spokesman, said at a press conference following the closed-door meeting.
Hun Sen reiterated the Cambodian government’s political will to continue backing the One-China’s Policy, or China’s claim to sovereignty over Taiwan and other disputed regions, Eang Sophalleth said.
“The Chinese government needs to trust in Cambodia’s support of the One-China Policy, and Cambodia will stay resolute on this,” Eang Sophalleth quoted Hun Sen as saying during the meeting.
Increased cooperation has been lauded by Cambodian officials and some investment groups, but large-scale investments from China have also raised concerns about the mainland’s rising influence in the Kingdom.
“The more and more Chinese exercise influence in Cambodia, the more Cambodia will become subservient to China,” Lao Mong Hay, a political analyst, said yesterday.
While China’s interest in regional trade and Cambodian resources are substantial, its primary objective is strategic, Lao Mong Hay said. With disputes raging between China and Vietnamover oil-rich territory in the South China Sea, Beijing sees Cambodia as a “security belt” in the region, he said.
The deals signed at the conference covered a broad range of sectors. The heliocopter MoU, which was not discussed at the press conference, was signed by Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon and China’s Vice Minister of Commerce Chen Jian.
Tycoon Lao Meng Khin signed two MoUs on mining and power plant projects with Chinese construction company Erdos Hongjun Investment Company. The two projects are worth roughly $2 billion and are set to break ground in the first quarter of next year, according to documents from China’s National Development and Reform Commission. The Chinese firm and Lao Meng Khin have previously been tied to the controversial Boeung Kak lake housing project in Phnom Penh.
Cambodian mobile operator CamGSM also signed an agreement to co-ordinate with Chinese telecommunications company Huawei in building Cambodia’s first satellite, according to notes from the meeting.
Royal Group chairman and chief executive Kith Meng told the Post yesterday the project was on track to launch in 2013 and would cost as much as $350 million.
Chinese companies have also shown interest in Cambodia’s agricultural produce, signing four agreements aimed at rice exports to the People’s Republic.
Eang Sophalleth said on Saturday Prime Minister Hun Sen had appealed to the Chinese delegation to increase its investments in the Cambodian agricultural industry.
In August last year, Hun Sen set a target of one million tonnes of milled-rice exports by 2015.
“The Chinese president and prime minister have made it an incentive to support Cambodia in all fields of national development. This delegat-ion's visit to Cambodia is a response to Cambodia's desire to boost the exportation of rice to China,” Eang Sophalleth said.
Chinese firms also signed deals on irrigation development and building roads in the Kingdom.
Experts said yesterday they supported Chinese investment in Cambodia, provided it was properly monitored.
Leopard Capital managing partner Scott Lewis said Chinese investment was a fundamental building block in Cambodia's development and should be applauded.
Development and investment by Chinese companies, however, should not come at the expense of environmental destruction and should be monitored, he said.
“These investments need to be welcomed, but they also need to be regulated,” Lewis said.
CAMBODIA agreed to acquire Chinese-made Z-9 helicopters for US$195 million in one of 26 memorandums of understanding agreed by the two countries on Saturday.
Cooperation was pledged in sectors such as energy, mining, agriculture and road construction, as well as defence spending and aid. The two-day meeting also saw deals inked involving Cambodian conglomerate Royal Group and the Chinese backers of the controversial Boeung Kak lake development.
Led by Politburo Standing Committee member Zhou Yongkang, the Chinese delegation met with Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday.
“[Hun Sen and Zhou] have exchanged views on this new era of cooperation between Cambodia and China,” Eang Sophalleth, Hun Sen’s spokesman, said at a press conference following the closed-door meeting.
Hun Sen reiterated the Cambodian government’s political will to continue backing the One-China’s Policy, or China’s claim to sovereignty over Taiwan and other disputed regions, Eang Sophalleth said.
“The Chinese government needs to trust in Cambodia’s support of the One-China Policy, and Cambodia will stay resolute on this,” Eang Sophalleth quoted Hun Sen as saying during the meeting.
Increased cooperation has been lauded by Cambodian officials and some investment groups, but large-scale investments from China have also raised concerns about the mainland’s rising influence in the Kingdom.
“The more and more Chinese exercise influence in Cambodia, the more Cambodia will become subservient to China,” Lao Mong Hay, a political analyst, said yesterday.
While China’s interest in regional trade and Cambodian resources are substantial, its primary objective is strategic, Lao Mong Hay said. With disputes raging between China and Vietnamover oil-rich territory in the South China Sea, Beijing sees Cambodia as a “security belt” in the region, he said.
The deals signed at the conference covered a broad range of sectors. The heliocopter MoU, which was not discussed at the press conference, was signed by Minister of Economy and Finance Keat Chhon and China’s Vice Minister of Commerce Chen Jian.
Tycoon Lao Meng Khin signed two MoUs on mining and power plant projects with Chinese construction company Erdos Hongjun Investment Company. The two projects are worth roughly $2 billion and are set to break ground in the first quarter of next year, according to documents from China’s National Development and Reform Commission. The Chinese firm and Lao Meng Khin have previously been tied to the controversial Boeung Kak lake housing project in Phnom Penh.
Cambodian mobile operator CamGSM also signed an agreement to co-ordinate with Chinese telecommunications company Huawei in building Cambodia’s first satellite, according to notes from the meeting.
Royal Group chairman and chief executive Kith Meng told the Post yesterday the project was on track to launch in 2013 and would cost as much as $350 million.
Chinese companies have also shown interest in Cambodia’s agricultural produce, signing four agreements aimed at rice exports to the People’s Republic.
Eang Sophalleth said on Saturday Prime Minister Hun Sen had appealed to the Chinese delegation to increase its investments in the Cambodian agricultural industry.
In August last year, Hun Sen set a target of one million tonnes of milled-rice exports by 2015.
“The Chinese president and prime minister have made it an incentive to support Cambodia in all fields of national development. This delegat-ion's visit to Cambodia is a response to Cambodia's desire to boost the exportation of rice to China,” Eang Sophalleth said.
Chinese firms also signed deals on irrigation development and building roads in the Kingdom.
Experts said yesterday they supported Chinese investment in Cambodia, provided it was properly monitored.
Leopard Capital managing partner Scott Lewis said Chinese investment was a fundamental building block in Cambodia's development and should be applauded.
Development and investment by Chinese companies, however, should not come at the expense of environmental destruction and should be monitored, he said.
“These investments need to be welcomed, but they also need to be regulated,” Lewis said.
21 comments:
Sweet.. Harbin Z-9 Hiatun is a troop transport and attack helicopter. China acquired the design and engineering from Aerospatiale. Harbin Z-9 Haitun is built using a combination of composite material, which make it more lighter, and arm with the latest hightech weapons. Matter of fact, it's almost better than its predecessor, the French's Aerospatiale AS365 Dauphin. I'm guessing that it might cost around $8 million a piece. So Cambodia might have purchase 20-25 pieces of this helicopter. Cambodia has 2 Aerospatiale AS365 Dauphin in service, so it would make alot of sense to purchase the Chinese version, which should cost less than the French version.
to:1:42am
many thanks for explaining about chopter
HAPPY, HAPPY, TO SEE & TO HEAR THIS,
TO IMPROVEMENT OF OUR DEFENSE, MAKE OUR DEFENSE MORE STRONGER
Cambodia do need plenty of this kind of helicopters to facilitate our troops...Yep!
NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS CHOPPER. IT CAN BE EASILY SHOT DOWN BY THE RPG OR MIGHT EVEN BE A SMALLER WEAPONS
Bullshit, 3:54 AM. Of course it's nothing special because you don't think Cambodia should have anything, you procrastinating fool. RPG can pretty much take out anything. In fact, about a dozen of the American Abrahm M1A1 MBT were toasted by RPGs shot at the right location of the tank by the insurgents in Iraq.
I'm glad to see cambodian govt getting new helicopters, because we don't have anything good right now...only old beaten up junky from world war2 era..? Cambodia need alot of thing to improve her military strengthen...New Military helicopters, New Anti-air defense Systems, New High Tech Weapons, all these thing will prevent neighbors from take advantage on us in the future...
yes, we needs more up to date, technology weapons, high tech airplane
high tech tanks, high tech navy
to make our defense very strong. to defense our motherland.
Cambodia need to create jobs!
They looks like toy helicopters, nothing like the American-built Black Hawks and Apaches. It is better than nothing though, however, depending on the price as well. If it is not cheap then we'd better buy from the western countries like America, UK, France, Sweden etc. Chinese technology is not advanced yet.
Why don't we buy fighter jets. These helicopters are no match for the American-built F-16s possessed by the Thai Army. We should buy fighter jets, instead of helicopters, maybe the price might be double but they are the fighting machines. These helicopters are only good for fighting with rebels who have no big weapons, but can't stand a chance with F-16s.
AH LOP 8:20 AM
THERE IS NO CHANCE FOR CAMBODIA TO GET A HOLD OF F-16 FROM THE AMERICAN. IT WILL BE REJECTED LIKE TAIWAN
Chinese Vigorous Dragon J-10 is the fourth generation most advanced air piece... The test has already beaten the European F-2000... Due to strong corporation, we might obtain at price lower than West's hardware...
First u just can not buy whatever u want from western countries, Cambodian is not alliance with those countries. USA never and will never be when it come to support Cambodia military. The only thing that USA did to Cambodia was by bombing the country and still asking Khmer Govt. to pay the debt from previous Govt. that USA help installed.
Hun Sen is smart, he knows that the only country he can trust and rely on is China to protect and defense Khmer. In 5 more yrs, China will beat USA when it come to advance technology. Now, China already has missiles that can sink aircraft carries.
Who ta hell saying China Technology is not Advanced Yet..? Man! You don't know what ta hell you talking about......man!
AH BULLSHIT 5:58PM
IN 5 MORE YEARS THE US WILL BE MORE ADVANCING THAN WHAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW. IF THE CHINESE WANT TO DEFEAT THE US THEY NEED TO BEAT THEM FROM THE SEA FIRST WHICH I THINK IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR THE CHINESE
Folks, there's nobody beat US technology today, the US has the most superior high tech weapons of the world, even Russian can't beat the US! Chinese is still very low Tech...Yes!
Yep, but Vietnam skews US in da Asshole with bamboo stick(skewer)...Vietcong didn't need Apache helicopter or high tech weapons? US bleeden, and ran away from Nha Trang bay coast!
Vietnam trying once more...US will make vietnam disappear from world map...bitch!
Did USA lost Vietnam War?
It not too much of the weapon you have. The Russian couldn't defeat the Mujahadin in afghanistan and those guy didn't have the great weapon.
Hey U stupid !!!! everything is made in China now...
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