Speech given by the Prime Minister on national and international occasions, review conference, etc. in English and in Khmer

Extensive Excerpt of Welcoming Statement to MS Westerdam Tourists at the Seaport of Preah Sihanouk [Unofficial Transltion]

Speech

• […] The real sickness in the region and the world has been ones of fear and discrimination […] this is no time for fear or discrimination but time for solidarity to resolve challenges (of CoViD-19) which has been threat not only to one but many countries […]

• […] Should there be CoViD-19 on the ship, would Cambodia allow docking? I am replying aptly […] I will allow docking the soonest possible […] could we leave infected human dying on the ship? […] that would be responsibility of the world as well as us responsible members of international community […]

• […] Cambodia upholds responsibility on respect of human rights, first of all right to life, and in this case more than 2,000 people from 41 nationalities on the ship […] Cambodia is doing for them now works relating to human right respect – right to life, right to no discrimination, and right to return to their countries safely […]

• […] I am giving those of you on board to leave for excursions to the province of Preah Sihanouk, or some may want to go to Siem Reap, and we will facilitate them with every facilities we may have – four planes of Cambodia Airways, for instance, to help deliver them […]

• […] Hotels, restaurants in Preah Sihanouk province should not discriminate against and be fearful to tourists because of this (sickness). If they are infectious, I am the first to get it. I strongly hope that the Cambodian people will exercise high responsibility as a contributor to promoting right to life, right to free travel and to no discrimination […] Cambodia has not got much wealth as other countries but we have got heart to save those people stranded at sea on the cruise ship […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Statement during the Welcome of Westerdam Cruise Ship docking at Sihanouk Autonomous Port, 14 February 2020

Selected Impromptu Comments at the Ground-breaking Ceremony to Rebuild National Roads 2 & 22 [Unofficial Translation]

Speech

• … in 1987 or 33 years ago, I proclaimed four priorities for investment – water/irrigation, road, electricity/power, and human resource […] in 1993, up to the present, we have changed its order to focus as number one on human resource training […] the four priorities have been fundamentally correct for the past 33 years, and, I think, will be so for the next 33 or even 100 years […]

• … according to the study, the (Jroy Jangva-Svay Jrum) bridge would cost anywhere between 40 to 50 million USD […] in between 2019 through to 2023, (Republic of) Korea has package of 700 million USD for Cambodia […]

• … governor of Preah Sihanouk province Kuoch Chamroeun filed a report about a Dutch tourist, on a visiting cruise ship, being quarantined for high temperature […] we are waiting for results from the lab to certify if he is or is not infected with novel coronavirus. If he is, he would have to stay for treatment in Cambodia until he fully recovered […]

• As in weeks to come, some factories may close down because supplies from China would not be coming on time, please do not link this matter to economic sanction from the European Commission. Whether the sanction happens or not […] it will be in August […]

• … on the forthcoming 14 March 2020, there will be the ASEAN-US Summit in Las Vegas. Let me inform Cambodians in America that I will be arriving in Las Vegas on 12 March. I may have time for golf on 13 March […] on 14 March, it will be the Summit. On 15 March, I will meet with Cambodians before I will be leaving on 16 March. I think I will meet with the US President Donald Trump […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Groundbreaking Ceremony for Improvement Project of the NR 2 and NR 22, 11 February 2020

Selected Off-the-Cuff Comments at the Closing of the Annual Review Conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the Official Announcement that Cambodia Will Host the 13th ASEM Summit in 2020 [Unofficial Translation]

Speech

• […] I do not intend to use this forum to criticize Europe. I wanted countries in ASEAN, Cambodia is one of them, to learn lesson from principles of consensus and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs. It was the principle of consensus that unites ASEAN, though it was sometimes difficult to get to a decision. However, it keeps ASEAN away from division since they do not seek to resolve problems through voting […]

• […] ASEAN also has its own initiative on Indo-Pacific concept. We are seeking to synthesize regional initiatives, the belt and road also included […] under the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, India raised its “Look East” view. Now, the government of Prime Minister Norendra Modi talked about its “Act East” policy. We must reach out to this decision. South Korea initiated its Look South policy too. We must in this case synthesize those initiatives in the interest of ASEAN and serve as the center of solidarity between and among states […]

• In the region, there are countries that create Ministry of Science and Technology. I decided to readjust focus of the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft to become the Ministry of Industry, Technology and Innovation. The Minister, HE Cham Prasidh, will lead this work, and seek to amend related laws and by laws at the National Assembly, while redrafting a sub-decree of law on organization and functioning of the Ministry. It will create units that conducts scientific and technological studies and researches […] to cope up with the industry 4.0 era […]

• […] I continue to stand firm on my position to allow no one to lead our nose around and we will not trade national sovereignty with favor or assistance of any form. (That would be lack of value and cheap) should we not be able to implement our laws and act according to what is required by others. Would we be still a country of independence and sovereignty? In the past, we could survive under economic embargo around us, though we had relations only with the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries’ bloc or CMEA, plus supports from Vietnam, Laos, and India. At present, we have many trade and business partners […]

Samdech Techo Hun Sen,
Closing Annual Meeting of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and International Cooperation, 31 January 2020.

Press Briefing on Novel Coronavirus related Pneumonia in Cambodia [Unofficial Translation]

Speech

[…] Let me take this opportune moment to appeal on a number of points as followed:
• […] firstly, do not overreact the truth because it would waste your time in fulfilling your works. We could evade any infectious viruses by exercising hygiene and sanitation in our way of living, eating, traveling and working, etc. […],
• […] secondly, we must provide people with true information […] let me affirm once again that the credible source of information must be the Ministry of Health, which is the leading institution in charge of providing information on this matter. It is not the quick reaction unit (of the Council of Ministers) or the Ministry of Information, or other institutions […],
• […] thirdly, state institutions, private companies, factories, enterprises, markets, Buddhist pagodas, mosques, and churches, etc. must continue their normal functioning […],
• […] fourthly, schools must focus attention in providing confidence for pupils. Parents and/or supervisors continue to send their children to schools. Schools of every levels must make sure they are on strict hygiene and sanitation […],
• […] fifthly, (people) must have their masks on wherever necessary […],
• […] sixthly, masks sellers should not take this chance to increase prices […] I am calling on factories to produce masks and sell to the state or to help people in need (of masks) […],
• […] seventhly, must ensure normal functioning without discrimination against tourists and/or transportation services of every kinds – air and water that are in direct connections with the airport, hotel and other transportation sector […],
• […] eighthly, Cambodian diplomats, consular officers, and students who are working and/or studying in China, those in Wuhan also included, must continue to stay there and join with the people of China to fight the disease […] as is said in our ancestors’ slogan “a friend in deed is a friend in need” […],
• There have been some requests and one of them has been for Cambodia to shut out flights from China to Cambodia. That was a measure requested to kill national economy and to place Cambodia-China relations in dismay […] actually, there is no need to even do so, China has already declared closing flights from their end already – not only from Wuhan to outside destinations but also in China […], and
• […] the second request has been to evacuate Cambodian students studying in China to Cambodia […] I said “no.” Should we do that, it is nothing different from sharing only happy time with them and leaving them in bad time […] there is no need to evacuate Cambodian students, diplomats, and/or consular officers (in China) to Cambodia […]
Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Press Conference on the new coronavirus Situation in Cambodia, 30 Januray 2020

Meeting to Commemorate the 41st Anniversary of the January-7 Victory [Unofficial Translation]

Speech

Revered Samdech Preah Sangharja and Buddhist Monks, Excellencies, Ladies, Honorable National and Foreign Guests, Samdech, Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen, Meeting Participants and Compatriots, Today is the 41st anniversary of the 7 January 1979 historic victory day overthrowing the genocidal regime of Pol Pot, saving the Cambodian people to survival from mass killing under…