PREAH SIHANOUK, Cambodia, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- An investment summit was convened here on Tuesday to promote the potential of Preah Sihanouk coastal province in southwestern Cambodia to investors.
Connected with the capital Phnom Penh by the Chinese-invested 187-km Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, Preah Sihanouk is home to the deep-water Sihanoukville Autonomous Port and China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) flagship project Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone.
Hean Sahib, a secretary of state for the Ministry of Economy and Finance, said Preah Sihanouk province has experienced rapid development in the areas of infrastructure and advanced technology, creating a favorable atmosphere for business and investment.
"The royal government's vision is to turn Preah Sihanouk into a vibrant investment and development hub within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)," he said in a speech at the opening ceremony of the two-day summit.
Sahib said the summit would allow the participants to gain insight into five key priority areas, namely manufacturing; tourism, hotel and hospitality; logistics and transportation; finance and banking and real estate; and agriculture and food processing.
Participants would also be arranged for site visits to companies or factories in these sectors, he added.
Preah Sihanouk provincial governor Mang Sineth said the summit was participated by businesspeople and investors from China, South Korea, European countries, and the United States, among others.
He said the coastal province has been nicknamed the "Rising Star of the Southwest" and has been transforming into a "Model Multi-Purpose Special Economic Zone."
Sineth said the royal government launched the Special Program to Promote Investment in Preah Sihanouk province in January 2024. As a result, the provincial investment promotion working group has so far provided "permits in principle" to more than 200 projects with a total investment of 6 billion U.S. dollars.
At the summit, a representative of the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone also presented the potential and benefits of investing in the zone to the participants. ■
