Prime Minister Hun Sen boarded a plane to China Monday morning, followed hours later by Funcinpec Secretary-General Prince Norodom Sirivudh who was en route to the same destination but for different reasons.
Hun Sen, accompanied by a group of 57 mostly CPP government officials, was on a diplomatic visit, officials told reporters.
During his six-day trip, Hun Sen is scheduled to travel to the cities of Shanghai and Chongqing, visit a dam on the Yangtze River in Yi Chang city and attend the economic Boao Forum in Hainan province, officials said. He is also expected to meet with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
At the airport, Hun Sen made no mention of the political deadlock, nor whether he would meet King Norodom Sihanouk or any Funcinpec officials while in China. The King, who is in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, has said he would return to Beijing before returning to Cambodia, though he has not disclosed his travel dates.
A member of the CPP delegation said Hun Sen would sign 16 bilateral agreements with China and four “very vital,” but unspecified, contracts with private Chinese companies to invest in Cambodia. He did not elaborate.
Only hours after Hun Sen’s departure, Prince Sirivudh flew to Guangzhou, the capital of China’s Guangdong province.
He said he had been invited by “a Chinese friend” and would also attend the Boao conference, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Asked about his plans before the conference, the prince said, “The Chinese friend just asked that I come early to visit some towns in a private capacity.”
He said he would be in Hainan by Thursday. His travel plans do not include Beijing, he added.
Prince Sirivudh said there were no plans to meet with the King or Hun Sen to discuss the formation of a new government.
He said Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who left Phnom Penh late last month, remains in France and would return to Cambodia soon, though he did not disclose a date.
Hun Sen is not due to return to Phnom Penh until Sunday.
