Travel to the southwest of Phnom Penh, a 187 km long highway that connects the capital of Cambodia with the port city of Sihanoukville, with 31 Townships and 110 villages, including Voa Sar Village.
When the construction of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville-Expressway, financed by China Road and Bridge Corporation, began in June 2019, the once numerous village next to the highway suddenly came alive, Chhay Kimsan, the 69-year-old village chief.
The construction workers took breaks there, investors came to the scout for land, and the factory owners explored the opportunity to build new plants. Kimsan's little stand that sold sticky rice rose from customers with a daily income from $ 1.50 to over 20 US dollars.
The villageal prices also doubled and made it possible for many residents to make their first significant profit. The village has also signed contracts with three clothing factories and creates 1,200 local jobs. “Jobs come with factories and there are so many jobs that we cannot find enough people in the village,” said the village boss.
Today all 153 households in Voa Sar have a motorcycle, and many families even bought cars. “Young people in the village can now drive to Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville on weekends, which was previously unimaginable. The Expressway has brought us so many advantages,” added the boss.
Economic zone
The Voa Sar -dorf leaves, loaded with building materials, fill the highway. In a service area along the Expressway, a local driver said to Xinhua: “I know” Zhejiang “. It is right next to the highway.
The “Zhejiang” mentioned by the driver refers to the Zhjiang special zone of Koh Kong, which is located in the exit of 135 kilometers of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway.
Pan Yogen, General Manager of the Special Economic Zone, explained that the first phase was opened in November 2018, which attracts 30 Chinese manufacturing posts and offers over 10,000 people jobs.
“When the first phase was opened, the only way to reach it from Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville was through the old National Road 4, which was in bad condition and slow,” said Pan. “The opening of Expressway in October 2022 attracted many new customers to settle here, with 80 companies signing contracts in 2024 alone.”
The second phase of the special economic zone is currently under construction. “According to our plan, the number of employees here will probably exceed 60,000 in the future,” added Pan.
“The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway has significantly improved the local industrial capacity, and the spillover effects will continuously contribute to Cambodia's economic and social development,” said Lin Shiqiang, President of the Chinese China Chamber of Commerce in the China of Cambodia.
TOURISM
With the opening of the Expressway, the travel time between the capital and Sihanoukville is shortened from over five hours to less than two.
When the evening came closer, Lim Chandarra, Manager of the Chhne Mess Restaurant, was busy. He noted that the very popular restaurant had recorded by 40 percent of customers since the opening of the Expressway.
Chandarra said that the new customer wave is primarily foreign tourists, many of whom come from Phnom Penh to eat in the restaurant before returning.
Chan Sophea, President of the Cambodia Hotel Association Sihanoukville, said that the Expressway had attracted more tourists to visit the port city and learn more about Cambodia.
“The expressway has made people moving,” said Chan. “We can expect the Sihanoukville tourism industry to become even faster.”
Kin Phea, General Director of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a Think Tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway was a main example for high-quality belt and street cooperation between Cambodia and China.
“This may be the best example of why Southeast Asian countries China's global initiative look so high,” he said. “The Cambodian people are sincerely grateful for the deep participation of China in the socio -economic development of Cambodia.” Xinhua