DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “ASEAN senior officials meet in Cambodia to discuss bloc's energy security” plus 1 more

PHNOM PENH, July 2 (Xinhua) -- The 30th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) began here on Monday to discuss the bloc' s energy security and green energy connectivity.

Chea Sieng Hong, secretary of state for Cambodia's ministry of industry, mines and energy, said that the meeting was to discuss on-going efforts towards ASEAN Green Connectivity when the ASEAN turns into a community in 2015.

"It is focused on energy security in the ASEAN region, green energy in the context of climate change," he told the opening session.

The meeting is also to follow up the ASEAN Plan of Actions for Energy Cooperation (2010-2015), which is focused on ASEAN Power Grid, Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline, Coal and Clean Coal Technologies, New and Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, and Civilian Nuclear Energy.

"These actions will enhance security, accessibility and sustainability of energy in the ASEAN region," he said.

Besides, there will also be meetings between ASEAN senior energy officials and the dialogue partners including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, New Zealand, Russia, the United States and European Union.

"To achieve ASEAN's ambition in terms of energy, we need to increase coordination and cooperation among ASEAN member countries and all dialogue partners," he said.

The outcome of the 30th SOME will be submitted to the ASEAN Ministers Meeting on Energy to be held in September in Phnom Penh, said Chea Sieng Hong.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) group Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

PHNOM PENH, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong's return to the People's Republic of China 15 years ago has brought the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with stronger economic development and greater prestige on the international arena, said Cambodian academics and officials.

"Hong Kong's role on the international stage is stronger"and "one country, two systems" really works well, said Dr. Chheang Vannarith, executive director of the Cambodian Institute for Peace and Cooperation, in an interview with Xinhua.

He said Hong Kong's return to China has produced very positive outcomes in terms of economic integration, people to people connectivity and institutional harmonization.

"The people of Hong Kong should be proud to be part of China," he said, adding, "Cultural identity has been further strengthened and economic status has been upgraded for the Hong Kong people."

Dr. Vannarith said Cambodia and other Southeast Asian nations alike want to see more economic and cultural interaction with Hong Kong, a sea-based logistic connecting point in the region.

Lao Mong Hay, a senior researcher with the Asian Human Rights Commission and a well-known political analyst in Cambodia, said that in terms of economic development, Hong Kong has remained, and continues to remain, one of the world's top financial and business centers.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, said during the past 15 years, he observed that Hong Kong has successfully carried out the "one country, two systems" policy and maintained prosperity and stability.

"The reunification between Hong Kong and the motherland since 1997 has reflected unity and solidarity among Chinese people," he told Xinhua on Saturday. "Before 1997, Hong Kong was the exclusive market for Britain, but now Hong Kong is not only the choice for Chinese people, but for the world. Hong Kong has more economic freedom than New York, London or Europe."

As Hong Kong is the world's financial and business hub and China is the world's second largest economy, under the policy support from China's central government, Hong Kong's economy would be stronger, he said.