Alexander Feldman, president of the US-ASEAN Business Council, said the San Francisco meeting, sponsored by the US-ASEAN Business Council, is meant to “elevate the dialogue in the United States about the importance of ASEAN.”
With its 626 million people, ASEAN has the second-fastest growing economy in Asia, after China, with an average growth rate of 5.6 percent and a combined GDP of $2.4 trillion.
With the US-Cambodia relationship in the spotlight, VOA Khmer’s Neou Vannarin sat down for a comprehensive discussion on Wednesday with William A. Heidt, the American ambassador in Phnom Penh.
The US ambassador said Cambodia could consider joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a US-led trade pact that could open US markets further.
Tobacco, which causes cancer of the lungs and other forms of the deadly disease, is a serious health problem in Cambodia.
Shawn Crispin, senior Southeast Asia representative at the Committee to Protect Journalists, sat down with VOA Khmer to talk about the outlook for independent reporting in Cambodia.
Some 50 protesters gathered outside Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday to demand the men be released.
Following the hour-long meeting with Heidt, Kem Sokha told reporters the meeting’s results were good and a “hope for the nation and the Cambodian people.”
Civil society groups are calling for Laos’ Don Sahong hydropower dam project to be discussed when Southeast Asian leaders meet with U.S. President Barack Obama next week.
“If we can maintain a neutral stance and balance, we can gain from both sides,” says Chheang Vannarith, a lecturer in Asia-Pacific studies at Leeds University.
Sam Rainsy’s trip follows the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to Cambodia, where Kerry emphasized the importance of human rights and democracy to ties with the United States.
Hun Sen in a public speech Friday says that Cambodia’s foreign policy is aimed at independence and neutrality.
China also aims to boost the livelihood of Cambodians living in remote areas and provide scholarships for Cambodian university students.
The International Trade Union Confederation said that 166 million workers make up a “hidden workforce” earning trillions of dollars for big companies.
It is unclear exactly how Cambodia would benefit from the trade deal, which lowers tariffs on agricultural and industrial goods between its adherents.
Kem Sokha seeks to curb the rhetorical attacks by members of his party on the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, since such attacks are often met with political retribution.
About 70 percent of those fines have come from traffic checkpoints, according to the ministries of Interior and Finance.
The voter registration has been a major subject of criticism in the past, with the opposition claiming many of its supporters are unable to vote.
A recent report from the International Trade Union Confederation reveals that 50 of the world’s largest companies depend on a “hidden workforce” to provide 94 percent of the labor from which they profit.
Hor Namhong will meet with senior Chinese officials to discuss a broad strategic partnership in official talks from Feb. 3 through Feb. 5.
ព័ត៌មានផ្សេងទៀត
