Cambodia Starts Construction of Controversial China-Funded Canal Amid Environmental and Diplomatic Concerns
Cambodia: Cambodia Initiates Controversial China-Funded Canal Project Amid Environmental and Diplomatic Concerns. Cambodia commenced construction of the contentious Funan Techo canal, financed by China, aiming to link the capital Phnom Penh to the sea. Despite environmental worries and potential strains on relations with Vietnam, the $1.7 billion, 180-kilometer (111 miles) canal is set to connect Phnom Penh with Kep province on the south coast, granting access to the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodia anticipates that the 100-meter (328 feet)-wide, 5.4-meter (17.7 feet)-deep canal will decrease shipping costs to its sole deep-sea port in Sihanoukville and lessen reliance on Vietnamese ports.
The project underscores China's significant influence on Cambodian politics and economics. However, concerns persist regarding the environmental impact of the canal, particularly on the flow of the Mekong River, crucial for fisheries and agriculture supporting millions across six nations. Many Cambodian exports could potentially shift from their current route, which crosses the Vietnamese border to Vietnamese ports, to Cambodian ports. The U.S.-based nonprofit Stimson Center has cautioned that the canal could have “significant transboundary impacts on water availability and agricultural production in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta,” a crucial area where 90% of Vietnam’s rice is cultivated.
Source: Government of Cambodia