China is going to build a ‘luxury city’named ‘Tourism Vacation Town’ in Cambodia with a cost of USD 1.2 Billion. With this project, China is said to be extending its influence in the south-east Asian countries.
Chinese developer Tianjin Union Development Group (UDG) says Tourism Vacation Town will feature high-end hotels, offices and theme parks on 1,200 hectares of land in Cambodia’s south-western Koh Kong province.
Meanwhile, UDG has already started work for resort in the same province, named Dara Sakor with a project cost of USD 3.8 billion. The land was given to USG for a 99 year lease and the project is expected to feature a port as well as attractions such as casinos. Many villagers have allegedly been displaced by the project, with some launching protests against what they said were unlawful “land grabs”.
Meanwhile, Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen considers Chinese investment as vital for his country’s development, and such issues have not discouraged him from joining hands with Beijing.
In 2017 China invested USD 1.7 billion in Cambodia, in military as well as encouraging Chinese businesses to invest in the country. Critics say Chinese businesses moving into Cambodia, which has a modest GDP of USD 20 billion, have pushed out many locals and destroyed their culture in areas such as Sihanoukville, near Koh Kong.
