Chinese COVID-19 jabs protect lives, revive economy in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has fully reopened its socio-economic activities in all areas since November after most of its 16-million population have been inoculated against COVID-19.

China is the key contributor to Cambodia's success in its vaccination drive as more than 90 percent of the COVID-19 jabs used in the Southeast Asian nation's immunization program are China's Sinovac and Sinopharm.

LIFE RETURNS TO NEW NORMAL

Cambodian government chief spokesman Phay Siphan said Chinese vaccines have helped the kingdom curb the COVID-19 outbreaks effectively and fully reopen its economy across all sectors.

"Now, life in Cambodia has completely returned to normal with the adaptation to the new normal, and vaccinated foreign travelers can enter Cambodia without quarantine," he told Xinhua.

"Chinese jabs have not only protected our Cambodian people's lives, but also helped revive our businesses and the tourism sector," he said.

The spokesman said the economy was projected to rebound to around 3 percent in 2021 after experiencing a contraction of 1.9 percent in 2020, and the growth was forecast higher in 2022 at about 5 percent.

"With timely and regular vaccine supply from China, we have reached a solid herd immunity about seven months ahead of the previous plan," he said.

Cambodia has so far administered at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines to 14.23 million people, or 89 percent of its 16 million population, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said on Thursday.

Of them, 13.61 million people, or 85 percent, are fully vaccinated with two required shots, and 3.23 million, or 20 percent, have taken a booster shot, the MoH added.

The kingdom reported only four new COVID-19 cases with zero deaths on Thursday, the MoH said, adding that to date, the country had registered a total of 120,434 cases, with 3,006 fatalities and 116,834 recoveries.

Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, said Cambodia's great success in its vaccination rollouts was inseparable from China's vaccine supply.

"With its high vaccination rates, Cambodia has reopened its borders earlier than other countries in the region, so I think this is a good opportunity to attract foreign investors and COVID-19 frustrated tourists to the kingdom," he said.

Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said COVID-19 testified the ironclad friendship between Cambodia and China and between China and other countries.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic, China has played a crucial role in helping other countries in the region and in the world to fight against the pandemic and in speeding their economic recovery," he told Xinhua. "China has distributed billions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines to many countries around the globe."

He said despite COVID-19, the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is still China's largest trading partner and has kept the momentum of increase.

INJECT NEW IMPETUS INTO BILATERAL TIES

Spokesman Siphan said Cambodia and China have stood together through thick and thin, saying that the joint COVID-19 fight should serve as a role model for cooperation between countries.

"Our joint COVID-19 fight proves that our ironclad friendship is unbreakable and there is no doubt that this joint effort will inject fresh momentum to the building of a community with shared future between Cambodia and China," he said.

Pov Sok, an advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, said China has helped Cambodia in all ups and downs, and this is the perfect example of saying "a friend in need is a friend indeed".

"China is a true, ironclad friend who always stands with Cambodia in all circumstances and China's assistance is sincere and has no strings attached," he told Xinhua. "We have been good brothers for decades and I believe that our fraternal friendship will be deeper-rooted in the future."

Kin Phea said this year has witnessed development of the very special relations between Cambodia and China as the bilateral cooperation has been broadened and strengthened in all sectors and all levels.

"The two countries support each other in all circumstances both bilaterally and multilaterally," he told Xinhua. "The relations between the two countries will be stronger, more comprehensive and strategic and unbreakable. It can be a unique model of cooperation of China with foreign countries."

Phea said the relations have always been based on principle of equal footing and mutual benefit with no interference into each other's internal affairs and sovereignty.