Cambodia receives US$6.3 billion in foreign investment last year, led by investors from China. (Bangkok Post photo)

PHNOM PENH: Cambodia received US$6.3 billion in investment from foreign countries in 2017, an increase of 75% compared to a year earlier.

Speaking at the 2018 Cambodia-China business and investment forum in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, Nut Unvoanra, deputy secretary general of the Cambodian Investment Board of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, said total investments from China topped other countries.

He said that from 2013 to 2017, China’s investments to Cambodia reached $5.3 billion, an average of $1 billion per year.

Also, speaking at the forum participated in by more than 40 business executives from China, Cheng Qingtao, vice chairman of the China Chamber of International Commerce, said more Chinese companies will be coming to Cambodia.

“We hope that businesspeople from the two countries will make full use of this forum to deepen exchanges and talks, to seek opportunities for business cooperation and to make every effort to achieve more pragmatic results,” he said.

Cheng, meanwhile, urged Cambodia to seize opportunities by welcoming more Chinese investors, so as to help boost Cambodia’s economic development