Week 551

Friday, 14.3.2008: Please End Your Dream of Setting Up a Taiwanese Representative Office In Cambodia

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 551

“Phnom Penh: Samdech Akak Moha Senapadei Dekchor Hun Sen said on 13 March 2008 that he has put an end to the dream of some people about setting up a Taiwanese representative office in Cambodia, as an exchange for the return of 2,500 allegedly trafficked women living in Taiwan.

“In the closing ceremony of the annual conference at the Ministry of Interior, Samdech Prime Minister said that the issue of these Cambodian women is used to pressure Cambodia into allowing a Taiwanese representative office to be set up in Phnom Penh, and this issue is used to dissuade Cambodia from supporting the one-China policy.

“Samdech Dekchor said he could quietly get millions of dollars into his pocket if he would sign documents allowing it. He said this is not about business; this is about the sovereignty of countries.

“Samdech Prime Minister said he has documents requesting the setting up of a Taipei office in Phnom Penh. If such an office would be set up, those allegedly trafficked women could legally live in Taiwan. Samdech said that Taiwan has come to a situation that they have to use these women for political reasons and to pressure Cambodia into allowing to have a Taiwanese representative office in Phnom Penh. Samdech Hun Sen sent a message to all who live in Cambodia that they should not have any dream about having a Taiwanese representative office in Phnom Penh or any other part of Cambodia, adding that he could not allow this to happen, because this is a part of the foreign policy of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

“For many years, the Cambodian government has shown its position to recognize the one-China policy. This is a political line which the government is adopting in accordance with the policy from the Sangkum Reastr Niyum which was led by our former King, His Majesty Norodom Sihanouk.

“In his speech, Samdech Prime Minister also cited the success in communicating with North and South Korea, while the two nations are members of the United Nations. Prior to this, Cambodia only communicated with South Korea. Samdech Prime Minister said that the People’s Republic of China is a member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council. Quite differently, Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, but it is just a province of China.

“Samdech Prime Minister also denounced some members of civil society and some members of the opposition who criticize him for not allowing such an office to be set up, due to the fear that China would be angry. In fact, this is about the respect of independence and sovereignty.

“Samdech Hun Sen asked, ‘If someone want to cut one of your legs, would you agree? Absolutely not. If someone wants to cut one of your provinces, would you agree? Of course, not.’ Samdech said that China has a heart and Chinese leaders are also human. ‘We need to clearly understand this issue.’ Samdech said he does not have the intention to kill those women, but we can find other solutions to bring them back without having to set up a Taiwanese office in Cambodia.

“Samdech Prime Minister said that many Taiwanese companies operate their businesses in Cambodia. We can operate businesses together; they can fly into Cambodia, but they cannot put the Taiwanese flag on Cambodian territory.

“Many kinds of human trafficking happens in Cambodia since many years. Many women were trafficked in many ways – such as false marriages of Cambodian women with foreign men. In the speech, Samdech Prime Minister appealed to parents and guardians as well as the authorities to review all related wrong-doings. There must be a clear observation of the situation before parents should allow their daughters to get married with foreigners. Samdech Prime Minister also ordered the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Woman’s Affairs, and other relevant institutions to quickly find solutions to fix these problems in order to prevent Cambodian women from being cheated and sold to foreigners.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7 #1592, 14.3.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Friday, 14 March 2008


Areyathor, Vol.14, #1315, 15-16.3.2008

  • It Is Predicted that the Cambodian People’s Party Will Get the Number of its Seats Increased to 87, the Sam Rainsy Party Will Go Down to 21, Funcinpec to 7, the Human Rights Party of Mr. Kem Sokha May Get 6, and the Norodom Ranariddh Party 3


Chakraval, Vol.16, #2762, 14.3.2008

  • Prince Thomico Supports Samdech Hun Sen’s Leadership of the Country
  • Warrant Issued for Arrest of a Chief of a Border Protection Brigade on Accusation of Forest Crimes [Kratie]


Chuoy Khmer, Vol.2, #63, 13.3.2008

  • Supreme Court Gives Life Imprisonment to [three] Jemaah Islamiyah Members [Kao Sopha, the lawyer of the three accused, said that the life imprisonment decision by Khim Pon, the trial judge, is an unjust act, because the court sentenced his clients without sufficient evidence and it did not investigate to find out who ordered the three accused to commit terrorism]
  • Hun Sen Government Fails for Another Term to Create an Anti-Corruption Law
  • Chea Sam Ath of Snadai Khmeng Wat Ordered Soldiers of the Malai District Military Outpost to Fire Guns at Citizens in Land Dispute [Banteay Meanchey]


Chuoy Khmer, Vol.2, #64, 14.3.2008

  • [Vice-president of Human Rights Party] Keo Remy Calls on Citizens Not to Sell Land to Yuons [Vietnamese] Near the Border
  • Khmer Officials at Khmer Rouge Tribunal Will Probably Have No Salaries in Late April [due to shortage of funds]


Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1592, 14.3.2008

  • Please End Your Dream of Setting Up a Taiwanese Representative Office In Cambodia
  • Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen and Prince Thomico Exchange Letters with Each Other over National Issues
  • Samdech Prime Minister Welcomes Participation [by the Japanese company Mitsui Sumitomo] in Triangle Area Development [Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam]
  • First Cloth Library Opened in Cambodia [by Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia]
  • Cambodian Farmers Concerned about Lack of Markets for Mango Products
  • [Motors and electronics] Company OMC Inaugurates Anther Showroom in Phnom Penh
  • [US Secretary of State] Ms. Rice and [US Secretary of Defense] Mr. Gates to Discuss Missile Protection System with Russia
  • London Listed as the Most Expensive City in Europe


Khmer Amatak, Vol.9, #565, 18.3.2008

  • Norodom Ranariddh Party Says Hun Sen Must Not Wait Until He Loses Elections to Remove His Name from Schools
  • People Say if Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha Will NOT Join with Samdech Krom Preah to Create a New Party, They Deceive the People, Like Mr. Mam Sonando Said [Director of Sambok Khmum Radio]


Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6296, 14.3.2008

  • Royal Government Welcomes National and International Election Observers – the More Observers the Better
  • National Election Committee Announces Use of Regulations and Legal Procedures for the Upcoming Elections


Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3412, 14.3.2008

  • Prime Minister Affirmed that 2,500 Khmer Women Work as Prostitutes in Taiwan
  • Yuon [Vietnamese] Authorities Prohibited Khmer Officials to Conduct [2008 Cambodian population] Census in One Commune in Kompong Cham [specific names of the Vietnamese authorities and the commune and reason not mentioned]
  • Sam Rainsy: Cambodian People’s Party Distributes Sarongs [Cambodian skirts]; Sam Rainsy Party Provides Jobs and Health Treatments to Citizens Free of Charge
  • Third Term Package [=coalition] Government Fails to Solve Important National Issues It Had Promised


Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4540, 14.3.2008

  • Cambodia K.H.Y Import Export Company Rushes to Transport Kranhoung [a kind of luxury wood] from Warehouse to Hide It [Samraong, Oddar Meanchey]
  • Officials Stopped Construction of a Telephone Antenna on Kompong Preah Temple [13 March – Baribour, Kompong Chhnang]
  • A Journalist [of Kampuchea Thmey] Detained for Injuring Another Person [Prasat Sambour, Kompong Thom]
  • Japanese Company [Mitsui Sumitomo]​ Says It Will Help to Develop the Triangle Area of Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos
  • Vietnam to Launch Satellite into Space


Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3269, 14.3.2008

  • Wood Still Being Transported Out Every Day and Night from Ratanakiri and Stung Treng [under pretext] for Construction of National Assembly


Sralanh Khmer, Vol.3, #645, 14.3.2008

  • Ok Socheat [senior Funcinpec official]: Prince Thomico Is Like a Ship without a Steering Wheel; Thomico: I Support Samdech Hun Sen from My Heart; Royal Family Members Say Prince Thomico Is Likely to Have a Crisis of Having No Money to Refill His Car and to Buy Cigarettes
  • Not Free and Not Fair Elections Will Make Cambodia to Continue under Yuon [Vietnamese] Ideology [Sralanh Khmer editorial]

Have a look at last week’s editorial

Back to top