DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Cambodia inaugurates China-financed new container terminal” plus 1 more

KANDAL, Cambodia, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Tuesday inaugurated a new container terminal of the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, turning the port as a large hub for logistics supply and goods collection and distribution.

The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue and was attended by 15,000 participants, including senior government officials, diplomats, residents and students.

The construction of the 10-hectare terminal was begun in March, 2011 by Shanghai Construction (Group) General Company with a soft loan of 28.2 million U.S. dollars financed by the Government of China, Hun Sen said at the event.

He said the terminal has a total capacity of 120,000 TEUs (20- foot equivalent unit) per year and it consists of a wharf platform enabling two 5,000 tones of container berths.

"It is a modern container port. This is a new achievement in Cambodia's transportation development," the premier said, adding that the new terminal is to respond to the growing economic size.

He added that the new dock will become a main hub for goods entering and leaving Cambodia and it will also help facilitate the exports of one million tons of milled rice by 2015.

"Through Ambassador Pan Guangxue, I'd like to express my gratitude to the Government of China for providing both grants and concessional loans to Cambodia for social and economic development, " Hun Sen said.

The terminal does not only connect Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to Vietnam's Cai Map port, but also help ship goods directly to Singapore, Malaysia, and China's Hong Kong and Shanghai, as well as other neighboring countries and regions without ship transfer.

Meanwhile Ambassador Pan said that China saw the new container terminal as a key infrastructure to promote Cambodian import and export activities.

"China will continue supporting Cambodia in developing waterway transportation, roads, bridges, irrigation system, and electricity so as to promote the development of Cambodian economy," he said.

The terminal is located along the Mekong River in Kean Svay district, about 30 kilometers east of capital Phnom Penh.

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday lashed out at former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the opposition Democrat Party, for linking Cambodia to Thai internal conflict.

"These days, Thailand's internal politics has heated up, especially during campaigning (for the March 3 election for the job of Bangkok governor), and Abhisit Vejjajiva always links Cambodia to Thai internal issues," the premier said during a land- titling ceremony in northern Stung Treng province.

He said Abhisit and Thai "yellow shirt" group have repeatedly claimed that former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has " mysterious advantage" with Cambodia on the negotiation of the area of overlapping maritime claim.

They also alleged that the current Thai government was loosening struggle on the overland dispute, especially the Preah Vihear temple area, in order to get benefits from the overlapping maritime oil and gas area, Hun Sen said.

"You, Abhisit, should show evidence to prove your allegations whether what benefits Thaksin gets from Cambodia. If you have no evidence, it means that you are cheating more than 60 million Thais and over 14 million Cambodians," he said. "This is your dirty politics."

Hun Sen said that previous border clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops over the disputed area next to Preah Vihear temple were in Abhisit's administration and Abhisit must be responsible for the losses of human lives and properties.

"Now, Cambodian government led by Hun Sen and Thai government led by Yingluck Shinawatra have been treating the wounds that were caused by Abhisit, but Abhisit and his group have been causing the trouble again," he said.

"Thai people should clearly understand that former Abhisit's government, not Yingluck's current administration, created trouble with Cambodia," he added.

Hun Sen explained that Cambodia brought the case of Preah Vihear temple to the International Court of Justice and to the United Nations Security Council because of the Abhisit's ex- government.

The two neighbors have had sporadic border conflicts over territorial dispute near Cambodia's Preah Vihear temple since the UNESCO listed the temple as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008, but Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers of scrub next to the temple.

Fierce clashes between the two sides' troops happened in February and April 2011 during Thailand's Democrat Party rule.

However, the two countries have seen improving ties since August, 2011 when Thaksin's Pheu Thai Party won the general election and led the current government.