This aerial view taken on April 7, 2025 in Phnom Penh shows a toll on the expressway connecting the country's capital to Sihanoukville. Once a collection of sleepy fishing villages, vast Chinese investments have transformed the Cambodia's Sihanoukville into a half-finished gambling resort with signs everywhere in Mandarin. - AFP
PHNOM PENH: Traveling south-west from Phnom Penh, a 187-km highway connecting Cambodia's capital with the port city of Sihanoukville passes through 31 townships and 110 villages, including Voa Sar village.
When construction of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, funded by China Road and Bridge Corporation, began in June 2019, the once-quiet village adjacent to the highway suddenly came alive with activity, Chhay Kimsan, the 69-year-old village chief, recalled.
Construction workers took breaks there, investors came to scout for land, and factory owners explored opportunities for setting up new plants. Kimsan's small stall selling sticky rice saw a surge in customers, with daily earnings rising from US$1.50 to over US$20.
Land prices in the village also doubled, allowing many residents to earn their first significant profits. The village has also signed contracts with three garment factories, creating 1,200 local jobs. "With factories come jobs, and there are so many jobs that we can't find enough people in the village," the village chief said.
Today, all 153 households in Voa Sar own a motorcycle, and many families have even purchased cars. "Young people in the village can now drive to Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville on weekends, which was unimaginable before. The expressway has brought us so many benefits," the chief added.
Leaving Voa Sar village, trucks loaded with construction materials begin to fill the highway. At a service area along the expressway, a local driver told Xinhua: "I know 'Zhejiang.' It's right next to the highway. That's where we're headed."
The "Zhejiang" mentioned by the driver refers to the Koh Kong Zhejiang Special Economic Zone, located at the 135-kilometre exit of the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway.
Pan Yougen, general manager of the special economic zone, explained that the first phase opened in November 2018, attracting 30 Chinese manufacturing factories and providing jobs for over 10,000 people.
"When the first phase opened, the only way to reach it from Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville was via the old National Road 4, which was in poor condition and slow," Pan said. "The opening of the expressway in October 2022 has attracted many new clients to settle down here, with 80 enterprises signing contracts in 2024 alone."
Currently, the second phase of the special economic zone is under construction. "According to our plan, the number of workers here is expected to exceed 60,000 in the future," Pan added.
"The Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway has greatly enhanced the local industrial capacity, and the spillover effects will continuously contribute to Cambodia's economic and social development," said Lin Shiqiang, president of the China Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia.
With the opening of the expressway, travel time between the capital city and Sihanoukville is reduced from over five hours to under two.
As evening approached, Lim Chandarra, manager of Chhne Meas restaurant, was busy attending to customers. He noted that the restaurant, which was already very popular, has seen a 30 to 40 per cent increase in customers since the expressway opened.
Chandarra said that the new wave of customers is primarily made up of foreign tourists, many of whom come from Phnom Penh just to eat at the restaurant before heading back.
Chan Sophea, president of the Cambodia Hotel Association Sihanoukville, said the expressway has attracted more tourists to visit the port city and learn more about Cambodia.
"The expressway has facilitated the movement of people," Chan said. "We can expect Sihanoukville's tourism industry to grow even more rapidly." - Xinhua
