ACC Secretary-General Visited Cambodia Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone

On 30 June 2016, H.E. Mme. Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) visited Cambodia Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ), listened to the briefing on the progress of the SSEZ made by Mr. Chen Jiangang, President of SSEZ Co., Ltd, and visited the enterprises in the Zone, accompanied by Ms. Li Shuxian and Mr. Shao Jianming, Vice General Managers of SSEZ Co., Ltd. 

Mr. Chen Jiangang said, the SSEZ was among China’s first batch of overseas economic and trade cooperation zone, aiming at establishing a platform for China and overseas enterprises with the feature of “located in ASEAN, radiating to the whole world”. It had a total planned area of 11.13 square kilometers. The 5.28 square kilometres for the first phase would be devoted to textile and clothing, bags and leather accessories, and other light industry products. With the strong support of the Governments of China and Cambodia, 102 enterprises had been set up in SSEZ so far, with 14,000 people working in the Zone. The company would continue its efforts to form a competitive industry pattern in SSEZ by giving full play to the geographic and political advantages of Sihanoukville, and drive the economic and social development of Cambodia and build it into a city of friendship between China and Cambodia. As the only inter-governmental organization co-founded by China and ASEAN Member States, ACC played an important role in promoting ASEAN-China trade and investment relations. The Company would strengthen its cooperation with ACC to make SSEZ a model of China’s overseas economic and trade cooperation zones.

Secretary-General Yang Xiuping congratulated Mr. Chen on the achievements the company had made. She said that recently the “Belt and Road” Initiative had been promoted step by step and the international production capacity cooperation was carried out actively. SSEZ, as an integrated region for industries, enjoyed the advantages of policy, infrastructure, and supporting services. It could effectively match the demands of the Chinese enterprises making investments overseas and the development needs of Cambodia, and act as a basis for international production capacity cooperation. SSEZ had played a positive role in promoting the local economic and social development, creating work opportunities for the local people and enhancing China-Cambodia friendship. ACC would strengthen its ties with the Company to help promote relevant beneficial policies of SSEZ to attract more qualified enterprises to set up and bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries.