DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Vietnam attracts over 45.8 bln USD in FDI from ASEAN member countries” plus 8 more

HANOI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- As the end of July this year, Vietnam has attracted 2,019 foreign direct investment (FDI) projects from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with a total registered capital of 45.86 billion U.S. dollars, reported the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) on Wednesday.

According to MPI, the FDI flows from ASEAN member countries into Vietnam have increased since the country has embarked in open economic renewal, especially since it official joined the ASEAN community on July 28, 1995.

Most ASEAN investors' projects in Vietnam have operated efficiently, such as Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP) by Sembcorp of Singapore, the Vietnam-Indonesia joint venture Ciputra urban quarter, the EcoLake by SP Setia of Malaysia, the Amata industrial park by Thailand, to name but a few, reported MPI.

A representative of Mapletree of Singapore said Vietnam is an attractive destination for investment due to the country's favorable geographic conditions, appropriate economic policies, and potential for long-term economic growth. Mapletree started investing in Vietnam in 2005, and over the years it has expanded operations in logistics, real estate, office services, trade and goods retail projects.

Vietnam also expanded its investment overseas, including in ASEAN countries. So far, Vietnam has 214 projects in Laos, with total registered capital of over 3.45 billion U.S. dollars, making Laos on top among Vietnam's investment in 60 countries and regions.

The country also has 112 projects in Cambodia, worth 2.36 billion U.S. dollars, according to MPI.

JAKARTA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The ASEAN Secretariat on Wednesday held a flag hoisting ceremony at its headquarters here to commemorate the organization's 45th Anniversary.

The ceremony was presided over by ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan with the participation by Indonesian foreign minister and ambassadors to ASEAN. Also on the same day, all ASEAN member states will organize similar ceremonies to represent their determination to build the ASEAN Community.

During the speech following the raise of the flag, Surin emphasized the invaluable friendship with all ASEAN Dialogue Partners for the success of the region. "We truly appreciate the work, the contribution, and cooperation, of Dialogue Partners as you have done so much," said the Secretary-General. "You have responded effectively to the call to achieve the ASEAN goal and mission for the region."

Marty Natalegawa, minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, reaffirmed his confidence in ASEAN's role within the region and globally.

Representing all Dialogue Partner Countries, Ambassador Julian Wilson of EU stressed that regional integration is important, ASEAN succeeds because it is a good idea, ten together achieves more than ten apart.

Founded on Aug. 8, 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

KAMPONG THOM, Cambodia, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday inaugurated a 128-kilometer China-funded national road No. 62 in an effort to boost social and economic development in northern provinces.

The road, from Kampong Thom province's Kampong Svay district to the provincial town of Preah Vihear province, cost about 52 million U.S. dollars under a soft loan from the Government of China and was built by the Shanghai Construction (Group) General Company.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and Pan Guangxue, Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, presided over the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by top government officials, diplomatic corps, some 10, 000 locals and students.

"The road is a new achievement resulted from the good and close relationship between Cambodia and China," the premier said. "The road will help promote tourists to Preah Vihear temple and flows of goods in rural areas."

"On behalf of the government and people of Cambodia, I'd like to express sincere thanks to the government of China and its people for providing both grants and loans to Cambodia for social and economic development," he said.

Ambassador Pan said the Chinese government saw the development of roads and bridges as the key factors for economic development and poverty reduction in Cambodia.

So far, China has funded the construction of more than 2,000 kilometers of roads and bridges in Cambodia, he said.

"China saw Cambodia as a close and honest friend and it will still continue supporting this country in infrastructure development," the ambassador said.

The ambassador stressed that the government of China always sticks to its foreign policy in strengthening and expanding good cooperation with its neighbors and emerging economic countries.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's Hainan Ruijin Investment Holding Group planned to invest in rice plantation, cow farm and tourism development in Cambodia, the group's chairman Pan Xiaoping said here Wednesday.

Pan said during a meeting with Heng Samrin, president of Cambodia's National Assembly that his company decided to establish an overseas branch office in Cambodia to focus on the three projects.

Pan did not say when the projects will be started.

Heng Samrin pledged full support for those projects, which he said will be good to boost the development of Cambodia's economy.

"Foreign investment is a key factor to accelerate economic development in Cambodia," he said.

YANGON, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is committed to accomplishing its obligations for the progress and perpetuation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) while the country is sharing the fortune of ASEAN with other member nations in political, economic and social spheres, Myanmar President U Thein Sein said on Wednesday.

In his message on the occasion of the 45th ASEAN anniversary, Thein Sein stressed the need to endeavor toward the full realization of the Bali Concord-3 "ASEAN Community, in the Global Community of Nations" adopted by ASEAN leaders at the 19th ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

Warning that there are also challenges at the time ASEAN is making achievements, Thein Sein emphasized the need for ASEAN people including those of Myanmar to do their utmost in the regional integration efforts, aimed at reducing the development gap among member nations and implementing the master plan on ASEAN connectivity as identified by ASEAN leaders in the Phnom Penh Declaration and Phnom Penh Agenda at the 20th ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in July.

Noting that Myanmar is moving towards a modern and developed nation with disciplined democracy, he said the mission that Myanmar is undertaking is dedicated to the interest of the state and the people and it is also in line with the principles of ASEAN.

He urged the Myanmar people to contribute to maintaining ASEAN solidarity and ASEAN's centrality in addressing regional and international issues, to strive for the emergence of a people- centered community and to exert efforts to play a more pronounced role in ASEAN in accordance with the active, independent and non- aligned foreign policy of Myanmar as well as to strive for the successful chairmanship of ASEAN in 2014.

Myanmar joined ASEAN in July 1997. In 2011, the ASEAN Inter- Parliamentary Assembly granted Myanmar's parliament a full-fledged membership.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia, as the chair of 2012 ASEAN, on Wednesday hoisted the ASEAN flag adjacent to its national flag at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to mark the 45th commemoration of ASEAN Day.

The ceremony was presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong with the participation by ambassadors and charge d' affairs of friendly countries to Cambodia.

Speaking at the event, Hor Namhong said that since its inception 45 years ago, ASEAN has recorded remarkable successes even though it has been passed through many difficult periods and challenges.

"With each challenge that it had faced, ASEAN always come out with a spirit of compromise. With the 45-year history of significant milestones and the rock-solid foundation of solidarity, ASEAN, in my view, shall prevail and overcome every adversity," he said.

The flag hoisting represented another significant step towards the ASEAN Community in 2015 even though there had been recently " an unexpected mishap," he said.

"However, Cambodia believes that ASEAN will continue to advance with the spirit of unity and solidarity, by setting aside issues we cannot yet reach consensus," he said. "By so doing, we will be able to maintain the ASEAN central role in the face of the present evolving regional architecture."

The minister also expressed his strong hope that ASEAN would remain on the right track towards realizing the ASEAN Community by 2015.

Founded on August 8, 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia expelled 19 illegal Cambodian immigrants including a baby after they had crossed border to work illegally in Malaysia, according to Koy Kuong, spokesman for Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

"They are among 27 Cambodians working illegally in Malaysia and were arrested by Malaysian authority for illegal entry," he said in a statement, adding that the 19 Cambodians had returned home on Tuesday morning and the rest will be repatriated to Cambodia soon.

According to the statement, the repatriation was made possible after good cooperation between Cambodian embassy officials to Malaysia and the International Organization of Migration.

Cambodia suspended dispatching its laborers to Malaysia since October last year after subsequent reports of physical abuses, death and working as slaves.

Currently, there are more than 20,000 Cambodian maids working in Malaysia.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia, as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2012, will celebrate the 45th anniversary of ASEAN Day on Wednesday, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.

The commencement of ASEAN flag hoisting will be presided over by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Wednesday morning at the ministry, the press release said.

In the evening, there will be a reception, which will be presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen with the participation of Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary General of the ASEAN.

Both Hun Sen and Pitsuwan will deliver their speeches at the event.

Founded on Aug. 8, 1967, the ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The number of Cambodia's outbound travelers had seen a significant rise of 33 percent to 389,000 in the first half of 2012 from only 293,100 during the same period last year, according to the statistics of the Tourism Ministry on Tuesday.

Ho Vandy, co-chair of the Government-Private Working Group on Tourism Policy, said Tuesday that most Cambodian visitors have traveled to ASEAN countries thanks to visa exemption agreements and geographical proximity and others have visited China including Hong Kong, Macau, Kunming, and Shanghai.

Among ASEAN member states, they prefer to go to Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, said Ho Vandy, who is also the president of World Express Tour and Travel Company.

He attributed the rise of Cambodian outbound travelers to improving cost of living of Cambodian people and direct flight connections between Cambodia and those countries.

Cambodia has the population of 14.5 million. By the end of 2011, Cambodian per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product) was 911 U.S. dollars, according to a report of the finance ministry. However, there is a wider income gap between the rich and the poor.