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 of the progress of the SSEZ made by Mr. Chen Jiangang, President of Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone Co., Ltd, and visited the enterprises inside the Zone, accompanied by Ms. Li Shuxian and Mr. Shao Jianming, Vice General Managers of Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone Co., Ltd.
Mr. Chen Jiangang introduced that the SSEZ was 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, radiate the whole world”. It had a total plan area of 11.13 square kilometres and the plan of 5.28 square kilometres initial area would be total investment with textile & clothing, bags & leather accessories and light industry products as the leading industries. With the strong support of the Governments of China and Cambodia, up to now, 102 enterprises had set up in SSEZ, and about 14,000 people were working in the Zone. The company would continue to make 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 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 like to strengthen its cooperation with ACC, to make the SSEZ a successful example of China’s overseas economic and trade cooperation zones.
Secretary-General Yang Xiuping congratulated Mr. Chen for the achievements the company has made in SSEZ. 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. The 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 who had the tendency to go outside and the development needs of Cambodia at the current stage, and act as a basis for international production capacity cooperation. After years of development, the 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 like to strengthen its ties with the Company, to help promote relevant beneficial policies of the SSEZ, to attract more qualified enterprises to set up and bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries.