DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Cambodian Parliament approves 3.1 bln USD gov't spending for 2013” plus 6 more

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Despite strong opposition by opposition parties, Cambodia's National Assembly on Friday adopted the budget of 3.1 billion U.S. dollars for government spending in 2013, up from 2.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2012.

Seventy eight out of 88 lawmakers, who were present at the National Assembly's session, passed the proposed budget law.

The budget law for 2013's expenses is equal to 19.8 percent of the country's GDP, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Keat Chhon said during the session.

He said the country's GDP this year was expected to grow by 7 percent to 15.6 billion U.S. dollars. "The government spending in 2013 is to ensure the sustainable economic growth of around 7 percent and to reduce poverty rate at least 1 percent a year,"he said.

According to the minister, Cambodian per capita GDP will surpass 1,000 U.S. dollars in 2013, up from 909 U.S. dollars in 2011.

According to the adopted budget law for 2013, government spending will be focused on general administration, national defense, security, social affairs, education, health, infrastructure, agriculture and economic development.

The government will allocate some 400 million U.S. dollars toward the defense and security sectors in 2013, a 14.5 percent rise over last year's allocation.

Social affairs spending will reach 686 million U.S. dollars, up 12.8 percent. In social affairs, the spending will be allocated to nine ministries including education, health, women's affairs, social affairs, labor, culture, information, religion and environment.

General administration will receive 275 million U.S. dollars, up 18 percent, while the economic sector including the ministries of agriculture, rural development and water resources will get 148 million U.S. dollars, up 10 percent.

Keat Chhon said the government will continue providing a 20 percent pay raise to civil servants and armed forces in 2013.

According to the adopted budget law, the government is allowed to borrow up to 600 million SDR (about 923 million U.S. dollars), from foreign countries and development partners in 2013.

Opposition party lawmakers said they did not support the government to borrow up to 923 million U.S. dollars in 2013, and suggested that the government borrow a maximum of 200 million U.S. dollars from foreign countries.

They urged the government to increase tax collection, rather than borrow more money from foreign countries.

Meanwhile, Keat Chhon said that by the end of 2011, Cambodian government has owed foreign countries and development partners a total amount of 3.6 billion U.S. dollars.

HANOI, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Some 163 athletes will gather in Vietnam's capital Hanoi during December 12-16 for the 16th Asian Petanque Championship, local media reported on Friday.

Athletes from 13 countries and regions including Cambodia, China, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and Vietnam will compete for nine sets of medals in men's, women's and junior's triples, doubles, and shooting and mixed doubles events.

According to the organizers, the Vietnam's General Department of Sports and Physical Training, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia are among strongest rivals in the event.

The 15th Asian Petanque Championship was held in Nonthaburi, Thailand in 2011.

CPHNOM PENH, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong arrived here on Friday for a two-day official visit aiming to further enhance bilateral ties.

At the Phnom Penh International Airport, she was greeted by Im Sethy, Cambodian Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue, and other senior officials.

Liu's visit to Cambodia was made at the invitation of Cambodia' s Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An.

According to the schedule, she will pay her last respect to recently deceased King Father Norodom Sihanouk at the Royal Palace this afternoon.

Then, she will hold talks with Men Sam An, and the two will witness a signing on a Memorandum of Understanding on scientific and technological cooperation between Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and Cambodian Ministry of Energy, Mines and Energy.

Later, Liu will pay a courtesy call on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace.

She will also attend the unveiling ceremony of the China- Cambodia food industry joint laboratory.

Liu will also visit Cambodia's world heritage Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap province on Saturday and meet Chinese specialists who have been renovating ancient Ta Keo temple at the complex of the Angkor archeological park.

Ta Keo temple is renovated under the financial support by China. The work began on Nov. 27, 2010 and the restoration work will take eight years to complete (2011-2018) under the financial support of 40 million yuan (about 6 million U.S. dollars) from the government of China.

Cambodia was the first leg of her 3-nation tour, which will also bring her to New Zealand and Australia.

BEIJING, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- The prospect of founding an Asian free trade zone is optimistic and it would have a positive impact on the region, according to an Asian Development Bank expert here on Thursday.

Free trade agreement (FTA) talks among China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are under way, and Masahiro Kawai, dean of Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), said a regional FTA would help eliminate trade barriers.

It would also help growth of foreign trade among Asian countries, according to Masahiro, who made the comments at a seminar on futures of Asian FTA.

As of November 2012, a total of 80 FTAs have come into operation among Asian economies, along with many other agreements under negotiation, Masahiro said.

ADBI said 53 percent of 841 enterprises it surveyed in China, Japan, the ROK, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore are using or plan to use FTAs.

ADBI found that Chinese enterprises use FTAs most frequently as they are very active in engaging in regional or global production cooperations.

Masahiro said enterprises should learn more to use FTAs to boost exports, and governments should help them grasp a better understanding of FTA items.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are essential for China's economic growth, and the country should support SMEs to better use FTA, according to Masahiro.

A FTA eliminates tariffs, import quotas and preferences on most (if not all) goods and services traded among economies that have signed it.

China, Japan and the ROK launched FTA negotiations on Nov. 20 during a series of meetings of East Asian leaders in Cambodia's Phnom Penh.

RATANAKIRI, Cambodia, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Thursday inaugurated a China-funded national road No. 78 in the country's northeastern provinces, which is expected to contribute to developing economy and poverty reduction.

The 121-kilometer road, extending from Ratanakiri province to Stung Treng province, was built by China's Shanghai Construction ( Group) General Company under a 73.3 million U.S. dollar soft loan from the Chinese government and took 40 months to be completed.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue presided over the inauguration ceremony.

Hun Sen said the northeastern provinces are situated in the country's fourth economic pole.

"The fourth economic pole is the pole of agro-industry. The road will greatly contribute to developing economy and poverty reduction," he said.

"Through Ambassador Pan Guangxue, I'd like to express my gratitude to the government of China and her people for providing both grants and loans to Cambodia for social and economic development," the premier said.

He also said that the friendship relations and cooperation between Cambodia and China in all fields are stronger from day to day.

Ambassador Pan hailed Cambodia's rapid social and economic development, expressing the belief that the road will help improve lives in northeastern provinces.