“The people of Cambodia – along with the people of neighboring countries and the entire region – would benefit from transparency on any major project that may have potential implications for regional water management, agricultural sustainability and security,” Wesley Holzer, public diplomacy officer on the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, he wrote in response to Bloomberg’s questions on the project.
Former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen says the canal will only be used to stimulate economic activity.
When Russia’s arms supplies to Vietnam dry up, who will it turn to for weapons?
When Russia’s arms supplies to Vietnam dry up, who will it turn to for weapons?
Touted as Cambodia’s first inland river dredging project, the Techo Funan Canal will take about 4 years to finish and its total length will likely be just 16 km (10 miles) shorter than the Suez Canal. Like many infrastructure projects, it could potentially be used for military purposes and raises similar concerns from neighboring Vietnam.
Vietnamese scientists fear the project could support the transportation of military ships from the Gulf of Thailand, where Washington says China is constructing its first overseas base within the Indo-Pacific region, and are also concerned in regards to the canal’s environmental impact, including that it’s going to divert water from away from the Mekong River.
“We urge the authorities to work closely with the Mekong River Commission to provide additional details of the project and to fully participate in any appropriate environmental impact studies to help the MRC and member countries fully understand, assess and prepare for any possible impacts of the project,” he said Holzer.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
The controversial project comes as Prime Minister Hun Manet has already deepened close ties with Beijing since taking on from his father lower than a 12 months ago.
Cambodia’s relations with the US remain difficult and are characterised by significant tension over quite a lot of issues, including human rights, press freedom and the suppression of political opposition.
Washington has repeatedly expressed concern about what it sees because the growing influence of China’s military within the country, including the Beijing-backed redevelopment of the Ream naval base, which U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Daniel Kritenbrink discussed with officials during a visit earlier this 12 months.
Military experts say the canal “will create the obligatory depth, enough for military ships to sail from the Gulf of Thailand or from the Ream base into the inside of the country,” the state-controlled Vietnam People’s Political Academy posted on its website. month, citing external research.
“The Funan Techo Canal is not only a socio-economic development project, but also has great military value and has a strong impact on the defense and security situation of the entire region.”
For the primary time, more Southeast Asians have allied with China than with the U.S., study finds
For the primary time, more Southeast Asians have allied with China than with the U.S., study finds
Hun Sen, currently president of the Cambodian Senate, on Tuesday rejected unspecified “slanderous reports in regards to the presence of Chinese soldiers in Riza” from “enemies” who he said were currently distorting the actual use of the canal.
“Why would Cambodia bring Chinese troops into its country, which violates the constitution? And why would China bring its troops to Cambodia, which is against the principle of respecting Cambodia’s independence?” – he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“This key infrastructure facilitates agricultural activities by providing water for growing crops, supports water management during the rainy season and increases freshwater fish production, among other things.”
