China Withdraws Pulls Out Of Cambodia Airport Projects

The construction of an airport in Mondulkiri province, Cambodia, has faced significant setbacks, with only concrete fence posts marking the cleared farmlands of an indigenous community for a runway that may never be built.

The fate of other airport projects, including Koh Rong Airport and the BRI-funded Dara Sakor airport, remains uncertain. I Photo: Koh Rong Real Estate

According to a report by Jack Brook for Nikkei Asia, the remote location of Mondulkiri province, bordering Vietnam and sparsely populated, raised questions about the rationale behind the $80-million airport project.

Furthermore, a major Chinese investor has withdrawn its support from the project, which was initially announced in 2019.

The cancellation of Chinese funding adds to the uncertainty surrounding various airport projects in Cambodia, many of which are experiencing stalled development and doubts about their economic feasibility.

Chinese investors have walked away from these projects in recent years, coinciding with challenges in the tourism sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local communities have voiced concerns about being displaced from their land to make way for airport construction.

Notably, the Phnom Penh airport project, valued at $1.5 billion, also saw Chinese investors pulling out, further highlighting the broader trend of Chinese disengagement from Cambodian airport developments.

Additionally, the fate of other airport projects, including Koh Rong Airport and the BRI-funded Dara Sakor Airport, remains uncertain. Despite significant investment and promises of development, these projects have struggled to progress, leaving affected communities in limbo.

WEEKLY FEATURE : Jose Mari Chan And The Christmas Anthem