As China invites world leaders and representatives to the capital to sign investment deals during the Belt and Road Forum that begins April 25, criticism is mounting over the negative impact of such deals for participating countries thus far.
There is growing international concern about China’s ties with Cambodia, one of the earliest supporters of the One Belt, One Road initiative (OBOR, also known as Belt and Road). Launched by Beijing in 2013, it is the Chinese regime’s flagship project to build up geopolitical influence via investments across Southeast Asia, African, Europe, and Latin America.
On April 23, Cambodia’s English-language newspaper Khmer Times reported that Cambodian leader Hun Sen will lead a high-level delegation to attend the forum in Beijing. Cambodia’s foreign ministry has confirmed that a number of documents on Chinese assistance and cooperation projects are expected to be signed during Hun’s visit.