(Xinhua​/KPL​) As one of the most ambitious global projects of our time, China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has transformed not only the physical landscape of participating countries but also their economic and diplomatic relationships.

Introduced in 2013, the BRI seeks to enhance global connectivity and cooperation through infrastructure development, trade and investment. It offers a path toward inclusive development and shared prosperity amid rising global challenges, such as trade protectionism and political instability.

BRI's flagship infrastructure projects such as the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport in Cambodia, the China-Laos Railway, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the China-Europe Railway Express, and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, have been a key driver of trade and economic growth in the region and world.

For Cambodia, the BRI has unlocked significant opportunities for growth, partnership and modernization. It provides a chance to fast-track development, especially through infrastructure improvement, economic diversification, and stronger ties with China.

Infrastructure development has been at the heart of Cambodia's participation in the BRI.

In recent years, significant projects have been completed, reshaping our economic landscape. The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, for example, has boosted transportation efficiency, reducing travel times and improving trade routes.

The new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport has made Cambodia a more accessible destination for tourists and investors.

The Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone highlights how the BRI has driven industrialization in Cambodia. With nearly 200 enterprises and over 30,000 jobs created, it has made a significant contribution to the country's economic growth.

Such projects have helped Cambodia reduce logistics costs, improve competitiveness, and move up the value chain in global trade, aligning with Cambodia's economic aspirations of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050.

KPL