Chinese-built airport in Cambodia sharpens skills for local talent

KANDAL, Cambodia — Hang Amatak, a 30-year-old Cambodian engineer, is proud of working with a Chinese company to build the new Phnom Penh International Airport, saying that the job is essential in sharpening his skills and expertise.

Amatak graduated with a master's degree in civil engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province in 2018 and then joined China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Group Co Ltd to build the 4F-class airport, the world's highest class, in Kandal province, about 20 kilometers south of the capital Phnom Penh in early 2020.

Starting his job as an assembly engineer, Amatak then was promoted to the post of assistant to the project leader after he had performed well in his assigned duties.

"In the management of such a huge project, I feel that I will be able to help Cambodia in the future with the experience I have learned," he told Xinhua. "This international airport project has provided great benefits to our Cambodian engineers, giving us jobs and invaluable experience."

The megaproject is the result of close cooperation between Cambodia and China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

"I'm really proud of working on such a huge project in Cambodia and being an important part of it," he said. "In the future, when I have children, they will be proud of me that I have helped in its development."

Amatak also praised Chinese engineers and skilled workers for their hard work and strong commitment to the project's success, saying that he had learned a lot from them.

Occupying 2,600 hectares in Kandal and Takeo provinces, the new airport is expected to become one of the biggest in Southeast Asia.

Sin Chansereyvutha, undersecretary of the state of Cambodia's State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, said the new Phnom Penh International Airport will play a key role in boosting Cambodia's economic growth and tourism when it is put into operation.

"The new airport will be capable of handling 13 million passengers a year in the short-to-medium term to 2030, and up to 30 million passengers in the long term from 2030 to 2050," he said.

The construction of the main structure of the airport's terminal hall is now complete.

Xiang Haifeng, executive general manager of the China Construction Yangtze River (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, said the new airport is a key project of China-Cambodia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

"After the project is completed, it will become an important transportation hub in Southeast Asia and help Cambodia's economy take off," he told Xinhua.

"We are proud to be the general contractor of the project," he said.

Meanwhile, Xiang said, Chinese colleagues have devoted themselves to cultivating Cambodian senior management talent and skilled workers.

"We believe that they will become an important force in Cambodia's national development."