Cambodia and China have reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing and broadening comprehensive bilateral cooperation in the fields of science, technology and innovation (STI).
The commitment was made during a recent meeting between Hem Vandy, minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, and his Chinese counterpart Wang Zhigang in China.
“We think together, plan together and act together to enhance STI cooperation,” said Wang.
Vandy expressed his gratitude to Wang for his strong goodwill and commitment to STI cooperation. He also thanked the Chinese minister for providing full support to expand and strengthen cooperation in a comprehensive and practical manner.
He described this as a turning point for even stronger cooperation in the STI sector between the two nations, and urged various stakeholders including businesses, researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs to collaborate with the ministry in building a bright, inclusive and sustainable future.
Thong Mengdavid, a research fellow at the Asian Vision Institute, shared his insights with The Post on September 11, highlighting the substantial efforts made by the two nations to foster cooperation.
He said the aim is to enable Cambodia to develop an economic society with a highly skilled workforce, underscoring the importance of STI in the nation’s growth strategy.
“The development of industry, science, technology and innovation is one of the main sectors for human resources in Cambodia and the government’s Pentagonal Strategy in this seventh mandate,” he said.
“The Chinese have always provided Cambodia with financial assistance, buildings and equipment, as well as technical assistance in human resource training within the framework of a ‘community of common destiny’,” he added.
Mengdavid stressed the significance of STI for Cambodia’s capacity-building and the reform of relevant institutions, enabling the nation to play a more active role in regional and global integration. This, in turn, will facilitate economic growth, foreign investment and tourism.
