A billion-dollar Chinese-funded airport begins operations in Cambodia

[beijingwalker]

A billion-dollar Chinese-funded airport begins operations in Cambodia​

Officials are hoping the billion-dollar project will revive the vital tourism sector.
AFP -
October. 16 2023

The new airport is located roughly 40km from Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat temples. (AFP pic)

PHNOM PENH: A billion-dollar Chinese-funded airport began operations in Cambodia today, with local officials hoping it will revive the vital tourism sector.

Phnom Penh became one of Beijing’s strongest regional allies under former strongman leader Hun Sen, receiving huge sums of Chinese investment.

Cambodian ministers welcomed the first commercial flight from Bangkok at the 3,600m runway at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) today.

The US$1.1 billion hub, built on 700 hectares of land, will handle up to 12 million passengers annually from 2040.

“This achievement will be a key factor in boosting the recovery of tourism in Cambodia,” deputy prime minister Vongsey Vissoth said during a ceremony at the new facility.

Mao Havannall, head of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, touted it as “a historic milestone” for Cambodia – as well as a tangible result of the two nations’ increasingly close diplomatic relations.

Cambodian prime minister Hun Manet and a top Chinese leader are expected to officially open the airport next month, officials said.

Hun Manet, who succeeded his father Hun Sen in August, met Chinese pesident Xi Jinping last month.

The Cambodian leader is currently in the Chinese capital for the upcoming Belt and Road Initiative forum.

SAI is located roughly 40km from Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat temples, the country’s main tourist destination.

Tourism is hugely important to the country’s economy, but visitors nosedived to below 200,000 in 2021 from roughly 6.6 million pre-pandemic.

Cambodia received 3.7 foreign tourists so far in 2023.

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2023/10/16/chinese-funded-airport-begins-operations-in-cambodia/

 

[beijingwalker]

Satellite image: Siem Reap Angkor International Airport in Cambodia​

 

[Ahmadbhutta01]

Child builds usa destroys ,
If china builds Africa to be a self sufficient and growing economy considering the vast natural resources Africa has , it will benefit china also in trade a new big market to export goods

 

[GreatHanWarrior]

大撒币。

习大撒币又开始大撒币了。

 

[beijingwalker]

Chinese invested Cambodian airport opens commercial operation​

By ZHU WENQIAN in Beijing and LI YINGQING in Kunming | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2023-10-16 15:53

Cambodia's Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. [Photo/yn.people.cn]

Chinese-invested Siem Reap Angkor International Airport in Cambodia began commercial operation on Monday and is expected to become a gateway to the world-renowned Angkor Temples.

The new airport is the first overseas international airport delivered under the Build-Operate-Transfer model of Chinese enterprises. It has been invested in by an affiliate of China's Yunnan Investment Holdings Ltd and is operated and managed by Yunnan Aviation Industry Investment Group Co.

The airport opened as China and Cambodia celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations and China welcomes the 10th anniversary of the inception of the Belt and Road Initiative. It also marked a flagship BRI project between China and Cambodia.

Chinese invested Cambodian airport opens commercial operation

Cambodia's Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, a Chinese company-built new airport, began commercial operation on Monday and is expected to accommodate a growing number of visitors and become a gateway to the world-renowned Angkor Temples.

www.chinadaily.com.cn