(Photo from Jiangsu Foreign Affairs Office)

The China-Cambodia (Preah Sihanouk Province - Wuxi City) Collaboration Platform 2.0 Version was officially launched on November 24 to help upgrade the development of the Chinese-invested Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ).

The Foreign Affairs Office of Jiangsu Provincial People's Government, Wuxi Government, Preah Sihanouk and Sihanoukville jointly held a video meeting to announce the new milestone.

Since its inauguration in March, the platform has already facilitated achievements including Betrang Primary School of Preah Sihanouk-Jiangsu Friendship, program on tropical disease prevention and control under the Belt and Road Initiative framework, the development of Sihanoukville Port Business College, and the Silk Road E-commerce project.

In the upgraded platform, the general office of Preah Sihanouk Government and the Foreign Affairs Office will provide guidance for deeper cooperation while the joint consultation meeting helps coordinate policy for maximum impact and promotes new progress in two-way investment, cross-border e-commerce and trade in services. Efforts will also be made to strengthen exchanges and partnership in the field of people's livelihoods.

Jiangsu and Preah Sihanouk entered into friendship relationship in 2018. Thanks to the joint efforts of all parties, SSEZ was able to overcome the global slowdown and achieved a total foreign trade of $2 billion, up 17.09% year-on-year, maintaining a steady upward momentum.

At the video meeting, Wuxi's Xishan Economic and Technological Development Zone agreed with SSEZ to boost mutual development. Wuxi Institute of Technician and Cambodia-China Friendship Institute of Technology also signed an agreement for a high-level technicians training project. The Primary School attached to Wuxi Normal School entered into the sister-school partnership with Betrang Primary School of Preah Sihanouk-Jiangsu Friendship.