PHNOM PENH, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The results of a new survey released on Friday showed that 97.4 percent of the respondents were optimistic about Cambodia's relations with China, saying that China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects have brought a lot of benefits in many development areas of Cambodia.
Conducted by the Asian Vision Institute (AVI), an independent think tank based in Phnom Penh, the survey on "Cambodia-China Relations" was participated by a total of 2,612 respondents in Cambodia from December 2025 to March 2026, using an online questionnaire-administered platform as well as with in-person interviews.
The survey showed that when it came to the assessment of the most impressive BRI projects in Cambodia, 49.27 percent of the respondents stated that the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway has provided the most benefits, followed by the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone (25.38 percent), the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (11 percent) and the Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital (10.34 percent).
"BRI not only brings about one single development agenda into Cambodia, but they also contribute to advancing the achievement of multi-dimensional development objectives and benefits to Cambodia," the survey said.
"Cambodia has observed the significant benefits of BRI in three main areas, including more convenient infrastructure, higher income, and more employment, education and other development opportunities," it added.
In the survey, respondents said that China helped Cambodia build more infrastructure, imported more Cambodian agricultural products, and encouraged more Chinese companies to invest in Cambodia for more job creation.
Neak Chandarith, director of Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center of the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia, said these BRI mega-projects have offered tremendous support to infrastructure development projects in Cambodia, transforming the country's development landscape and enhancing regional connectivity.
"BRI-driven infrastructure development has facilitated travel, boosted trade, and attracted more international tourists and investors to Cambodia," he told Xinhua.
He added that the alignment between the BRI and Cambodia's Pentagonal Strategy will help Cambodia achieve its ambitious goal of becoming an upper-income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050.
Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said BRI's flagship projects have helped build fundamental infrastructure such as national roads, bridges, hydropower stations, and airports, which are the backbone of economic growth in the Southeast Asian country.
"BRI projects like the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, and the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport are the emblems of national pride and strategic importance for Cambodia," he told Xinhua.
"They are not just infrastructure projects but transformative ventures that promise to bring significant development to the country because they have been designed to boost connectivity, trade, and tourism, thereby creating long-term economic benefits for Cambodia," Sam added.
He said the alignment with the BRI has allowed Cambodia to benefit from Chinese investments, technology, and expertise, making it a win-win situation for the two countries. ■
