PHNOM PENH:Â Cambodia will push forward with controversial plans to build a US$1.7 billion canal, linking its capital Phnom Penh to the sea, Prime Minister Hun Manet said on Thursday (Apr 11).
The Funan Techo canal is the latest Chinese-backed infrastructure project in Cambodia, which received billions in investments as one of Beijing’s closest regional allies under former leader Hun Sen.
The planned canal has raised concerns from academics in neighbouring Vietnam that it could facilitate travel by Chinese warships near the Vietnamese coastline.
Hun Manet dismissed those concerns during a speech in Takeo province, where the proposed 180km waterway would cut through, ending in the coastal province of Kep.
“The canal is a historic project that will provide benefits to our people,” he said.
Cambodian officials say the construction of the canal will begin later this year with Chinese funding, although details remain sparse.
The canal – measuring 100m wide and 5.4m deep – would connect Phnom Penh with Cambodian ports on the Gulf of Thailand, bypassing Vietnam’s traditional route.
Hun Manet rejected media reports citing two researchers at a Vietnamese state-backed institute that suggested the canal would allow Chinese warships to travel closer to the Vietnamese border.
“We will not allow (any country) to use our country as a base against another country, let alone a military base,” he said.
He added that the canal would be too shallow for a warship. The prime minister said the canal would provide an economic boost, benefiting millions.
Source: CNA
