Chinese president to touch down in Cambodia as nations consolidate ties
Cambodia is edging increasingly close to China, as the superpower lavishes aid on the ASEAN nation that has proved a robust ally in the South China Sea dispute. Chinese President Xi Jinping will arrive in Cambodia tomorrow for a two-day official visit, consolidating a far-reaching relationship between the two countries that has at times been mired in controversy. The visit is a part of a larger tour through India, Cambodia and Bangladesh during which Xi will attend the 8th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit to be held in Goa, India, from 15 to 16 October. Last week, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced during a graduation ceremony at Phnom Penh’s Royal University of Law and Economics that 28 documents would be signed during Xi’s visit. The agreements are meant to promote cooperation in trade, tourism, investment and agriculture between the two countries, according to Chinese news outlet Global Times. China has become Cambodia’s largest source of foreign aid and investment. This aid has been increasing in recent years, with Beijing’s donations increasing from less than $100m in 2007 to, in 2014, between $500m and $700m annually.
