China is turning Cambodia into a colony, claims exiled leader

Cambodian government under Prime Minister Hun Sen has allowed China to turn the country into a colony at the expense of the poor citizens, claimed Sam Rainsy.

The country's self-exiled opposition leader, who is currently in Malaysia, said China sends thousands of her people to settle down in Cambodia and many have occupied land belonging to the farmers.

"China is turning Cambodia into a Chinese colony. They send people who are not tourists. These people are not wealthy and come from all walks of life.

"They are not investors or businesspersons. They are just ordinary people, such as farmers.

"This is very dangerous because China can send millions of citizens to Cambodia. We will be drowned in the mass of foreign settlers," he told Malaysiakini during an interview in Putrajaya yesterday.

Hun Sen

Rainsy, who is the leader of the opposition party Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), said his government had seized land from farmers and passed them to the Chinese.

"It's terrible for them (farmers) because their only livelihoods are their land," he said.

'We don't blame China. We blame our leadership'

However, Rainsy didn't put the blame on China.  Instead, he blamed Hun Sen for allowing China to be the sole source of investments, thus making Cambodia too reliant on them.

"We don't blame China. We blame our leadership because they allowed China to do that. If we had strong leadership with integrity, no foreign country can do that in Cambodia," he added.

Rainsy noted Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remarks during his visit to Cambodia last September.

"Dr M said don't depend on one country alone in order to preserve your independence. You have to ensure that foreign direct investments come from different sources, not from one source only," he said.

In March this year, Mahathir had cautioned the Philippines over falling into the "debt trap" and advised the country to "regulate or limit influences from China." 

Two months later, Hun Sen brushed off fears that his country was at risk of falling into a Chinese "debt trap" and that the massive financial support from Beijing does not compromise his country's independence. 

Mahathir Mohamad

China has been Cambodia's largest foreign direct investor over the past five years, injecting a total of US$5.3 billion into the impoverished country. It is also Cambodia's biggest trading partner, followed by the European Union (EU).

Rainsy said a country that is corrupt and ruled by a dictator will likely be controlled by China.

"In a democratic country, this will not happen," he added.

Rainsy arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 9. His initial plan was to board a Thai Airways flight from Paris to Bangkok before entering Cambodia via the border.

However, his plan hit a brick wall after he was allegedly barred from booking a flight to Bangkok.

Asked on his next move, Rainsy said he plans to fly to Jakarta on Wednesday while getting the EU to mount more pressure on Phnom Penh to restore democracy and release political prisoners. - Mkini