On August 5, 2024, the construction of the Dechong Funan Canal project in Cambodia officially began, which attracted everyone's attention. Someone asked, what does the canal issue in Cambodia have to do with us? I'm telling you, there's a big relationship here.

The Dechong Funan Canal is an artificial canal excavated from the Cambodian section of the Mekong River, running directly from the capital Phnom Penh Port to the Port of Baima in the Gulf of Thailand. The Mekong River is an international waterway that originates from the northeast slope of Tanggula Mountain in China and is called the Lancang River within China. It flows through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and finally empties into the South China Sea from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. From the map, it can be seen that Vietnam is equivalent to the main switch of the Mekong River. As long as Vietnam is willing, it can close the outlet of the Mekong River. All countries in the Mekong River basin on the Indochina Peninsula that want to rely on the Mekong River to go out to sea are under Vietnam's control.

As Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Ma Nai attended the groundbreaking ceremony and stated, 'We must build this canal at all costs.'. After completion, the 180 kilometer long Dechong Funan Canal will become an important waterway for Cambodia, reducing the country's heavy reliance on neighboring Vietnam for international shipping and paving the way for its economic growth. As Hong Manet previously described, "Cambodians can finally breathe with their own noses

For China, after the completion of the canal, it will have a brand new outlet in the southeast region, greatly simplifying the trade process between China and a group of Southeast Asian countries, thereby reducing transportation costs, which is also of great benefit to enhancing China's trade competitiveness.

The project has a total length of 180 kilometers. The starting point of the canal is Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, spanning four provinces of Baima, Gongbu, Cha Kok, and Ganla. It is expected to cost 12.1 billion yuan for construction, including the construction of three canal traffic navigation stations, 11 bridges, 208 kilometers of roads on both sides of the waterway, and other infrastructure. The construction period is about 4 years, and it will be completed and navigable by 2028. Starting from Kampuchea Province in Cambodia, it flows through provinces and cities such as Chajiao, Gongbu, and Baima, benefiting approximately 1.6 million people along the coast after completion. Keywords: the Belt and Road news, the Belt and Road project, overseas project.

It is reported that the Dechong Funan Canal project is mainly invested, constructed and operated by the Sihanouk Autonomous Port and Phnom Penh Autonomous Port in Cambodia, as well as overseas Cambodian Chinese investment companies in a "construction operation transfer" model. Therefore, the Cambodian government will not need to directly undertake project financing. (This article is from the official website of Jian Dao: www.seetao.com. Reproduction without permission is prohibited, otherwise it will be prosecuted. Please indicate Jian Dao website+original link when reprinting.) Jian Dao website mechanical column editor/Zhou Yingwen