PHNOM PENH, April 30 -- Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo on Thursday delivered a lecture on the China-proposed" Belt and Road"initiatives to hundreds of Cambodian students and teachers at the Royal School of Administration.

Belt and Road, a reference to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was initiated by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Central Asia and Southeast Asia in September and October 2013, she said.

The belt is an overland network bringing together China, central Asia, Russia and Europe; linking China with the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea, and connecting China with Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Indian Ocean.

The road is a maritime network designed to link China's coast to Europe through the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean in one route, and China's coast to the South Pacific through the South China Sea in another. "The strategic planning of the Belt and Road is to promote the interconnection of infrastructure among Asia, Africa and Europe," she said."It mainly aims to boost cooperation on economy, trade and investment among the countries along the routes."

According to the diplomat, to financially support the initiatives, President Xi Jinping has initiated the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with the initial capital of 100 billion U.S. dollars. "Currently, more than 50 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania have requested to join the AIIB as founding members,"she said.

In November last year, President Xi also announced the Silk Road Fund with China's contribution of 40 billion U.S. dollars.

Bu said Cambodia is situated along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the country will definitely benefit from this project.