Independent, Oct. 13, 2020
China and Cambodia have signed a free trade agreement as Beijing’s foreign minister paid a visit to Phnom Penh as part of a four-nation Southeast Asia tour
China and Cambodia signed a free trade agreement on Monday as China's foreign minister visited Phnom Penh as part of a four-nation Southeast Asian tour.
China’s foreign ministry announced that Foreign Minister Wang Yi will make official visits this week to Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos and Thailand, along with a transit visit to Singapore.
Cambodia is Beijing’s most loyal ally in the region, and its economic growth has depended on aid and investment from China. The two nations also have an ideological affinity, stressing tight control by their ruling parties over concerns about human rights.
Wang’s tour comes as China and the United States are contending for influence in Southeast Asia. Historically, the U.S. has been the more popular partner, but Beijing has made great inroads as China’s growing wealth and confidence allow it to woo allies with no human rights strings attached.
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The E.U. withdrew duty-free privileges amounting to about one-fifth of the 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) worth of Cambodian exports that go to Europe each year.
Hun Sen has acknowledged that Cambodia's economy would be affected by the move, but said the country could manage and he would not bend to Western pressure.
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