The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening cooperation with Cambodia, particularly in the development of social infrastructure with a strong focus on modern education.
During a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Plus Summit in Tianjin, H.E. Jin Liqun, President and Chair of the Board of Directors of AIIB, paid a courtesy call on Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet. The meeting marked a renewed push by the multilateral development bank to support Cambodia’s socio-economic transformation through targeted investments.
President Jin Liqun praised Cambodia’s development trajectory and reiterated the AIIB’s interest in supporting key projects that contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth. He highlighted education as a critical area of cooperation, aligning with the Bank’s broader vision of financing infrastructure for tomorrow.
In response, Prime Minister Hun Manet welcomed the AIIB’s continued support and underscored Cambodia’s dual focus on both hard and soft infrastructure. While reaffirming that hard infrastructure projects such as the new international airport and the Funan Techo Canal remain national priorities to strengthen industrial and logistics capabilities, the Prime Minister placed special emphasis on the long-term goal of building quality human capital.
He noted that the Royal Government has launched wide-ranging reforms to improve the education system from the primary to secondary levels, expand access to vocational training, and enhance health infrastructure at every level, especially grassroots service delivery.
“The main priority of the Royal Government, from previous mandates until now, has been to build quality human capital,” stated Prime Minister Hun Manet. “Developing human capital with clear professional skills is a long-term investment essential to meeting the demands of current and future industrial growth.”
The Prime Minister encouraged AIIB to work closely with relevant Cambodian ministries and institutions to advance practical cooperation in the education and health sectors.
Earlier the same day, Prime Minister Hun Manet also held talks with H.E. Wang Huning, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Both sides expressed satisfaction with the growing and comprehensive cooperation between Cambodia and China in a wide range of sectors.
The Cambodian leader’s meetings in Tianjin signal a broader diplomatic and development push to attract strategic investment and enhance global partnerships that can contribute to Cambodia’s long-term goals under its Pentagonal Strategy – Phase I.
As AIIB continues to expand its portfolio in Southeast Asia, Cambodia’s alignment with the Bank’s development priorities positions it as a key beneficiary of infrastructure financing in both traditional and social sectors.
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