Developed in 2007 as the first of its kind, the Sihanoukville SEZ is created through an intergovernmental agreement and bilateral coordination between China and Cambodia. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Sihanoukville special economic zone (SEZ), jointly developed by Wuxi-based garment giant Hodo Group and Cambodia International Investment Development Group, has been making efforts to help poor people in Cambodia under the China-pioneered Belt and Road Initiative.

Developed in 2007 as the first of its kind, the Sihanoukville SEZ was created through an intergovernmental agreement and bilateral coordination between China and Cambodia.

Covering about 11 square kilometers, it has attracted 153 companies, specializing primarily in industries such as textiles, garments, machinery, electronics, leather products and wooden flooring, in which areas it accounts for over 80 percent of the activity in the whole province.

The Sihanoukville SEZ, recognized as economically significant by the local government, provides over 22,000 jobs for locals.

Thanks to the SEZ, Sihanoukville province overtook other Cambodian provinces to register the highest GDP per capita in the country in 2018, approximately $3,358.

The Cambodian Sihanoukville SEZ, led by the Wuxi-based Hodo Group, has become the largest base for foreign-trade exports in Cambodia. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With the promotion of the Sihanoukville SEZ, Wuxi city and Jiangsu province formed relationships with Sihanoukville city for better cooperation in economic activity, including trade and tourism.

The Wuxi Vocational Institute of Commerce established an overseas higher education institute, the Sihanouk Special Economic Zone Training Center, in the Sihanoukville SEZ in 2012, training up to 35,000 local workers in Cambodia.

A total of $300,000 was donated to the provincial government of Sihanoukville, Cambodia to help build a civic park in the SEZ in May, 2018 as a symbol of friendship between China and the Southeast Asian country.

More projects will be introduced to form a complete industrial chain and enhance the competitiveness of the SEZ, helping it become an international model industrial park and the home of 300 firms and about 100,000 local workers.