China Dismisses Reports It’s Withdrawing from Controversial Canal Project in Cambodia

Map of the proposed Funan Techo Canal in Cambodia. Source: Cambodia National Mekong Committee

The Chinese embassy in Cambodia dismissed reports that Beijing is withdrawing from a controversial canal project in the Mekong River as “complete nonsense.”

The groundbreaking ceremony for the $1.7 billion 180km Funan Techo canal project was held in August, but since then, no further work has been done. On its WeChat page, the embassy decried media reports that “China will no longer provide support to Cambodia, and the canal project will fail, affecting the ironclad friendship between China and Cambodia” and said, “This is complete nonsense.”

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