Trade through China-Cambodia jointly invested special economic zone up 12 pct last year

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The value of imports and exports passing through the China-Cambodia jointly invested Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) reached 2.49 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 12 percent, SSEZ General Manager Cao Jianjiang told Xinhua on Tuesday.

Cao said the 11-square-km industrial zone has accommodated 175 companies from China, the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia and other regions, creating nearly 30,000 jobs.

"The growth last year clearly reflects the resilience of the zone's development, which has steadily contributed to Cambodia's socio-economic development," he said.

Situated in the southwestern coastal province of Preah Sihanouk, the SSEZ is the country's largest industrial zone in terms of size and occupancy.

The Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's Undersecretary of State and Spokesman Penn Sovicheat said the SSEZ is a perfect example of win-win cooperation under the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.

"The SSEZ has provided a lot of jobs to Cambodian workers and served as a role model for the cluster industries and as a base for exports," he told Xinhua.

Long Dimanche, deputy governor of Preah Sihanouk province, said the SSEZ has good potential for investors as it is located adjacent to the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, the sole international and commercial deep-sea port of Cambodia.

"The SSEZ has played an important role in supporting Cambodia's economic development and has become a link of regional and global supply chains," he told Xinhua.