Cambodian PM arrives in Beijing for Belt and Road forum

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet arrived in Beijing on Monday to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) slated for Tuesday and Wednesday in the Chinese capital.

The forum is the most important diplomatic event hosted by China this year, and the most significant celebration for the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

So far, representatives of over 140 countries and 30-plus international organizations, including state leaders, heads of international organizations, ministerial officials and representatives of the business sector, academia and nongovernmental organizations, have confirmed they will attend the forum.

The first-ever BRF was held in Beijing in 2017, and the second edition took place in 2019.

BRI, referring to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was initiated by China in 2013 to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond along the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

Over the past decade, over 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations have signed documents within the BRI framework.