SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said here on Thursday that the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone (SSEZ) has not only boosted the kingdom's trade and economic growth, but also improved local livelihoods.

The 11-sq-km SSEZ, jointly ventured by Chinese and Cambodian companies, is a flagship project under China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Hun Manet made the remarks during a ceremony to mark more than 200 enterprises investing in the SSEZ.

He said investors from different countries, including China, Europe, the United States, South Korea, and Southeast Asian countries, have established factories in the zone, generating about 32,000 direct jobs.

"The successful operation of the SSEZ is a testament to the close cooperation between Cambodia and China under the BRI," he said.

"The rapid development of Sihanoukville is a practical and undeniable evidence of the fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and China," the prime minister added.

He said the SSEZ has injected and will continue to inject vigorous impetus into building the all-weather Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era.

He thanked Chinese investors for having strong confidence in Cambodia's peace, security and political stability, saying that China is the top investor and largest trading partner of Cambodia.

Meanwhile, Hun Manet reiterated Cambodia's staunch support for the one-China principle and China's global initiatives such as the BRI, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative.

Established in 2008, the SSEZ, situated about 12 km from the international deep-water Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, is home to multinational enterprises that manufacture clothes and textiles, luggage and leather goods, medical supplies, hardware and machinery, construction materials, home furniture, auto parts and car tires, and new materials, among others.

According to the SSEZ operator, the value of imports and exports passing through the zone reached 4.07 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, a year-on-year increase of 21.3 percent.

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin said the SSEZ could be called a "shining pearl" in building Cambodia's Industrial and Technological Corridor.

"The SSEZ is not only a role model of China-Cambodia cooperation, but also a symbol of China-Cambodia friendship," he said.

He added that the iron-clad friendship between China and Cambodia is unbreakable and has become a role model of interstate relations.

Chan Sreyneang, a 29-year-old worker at a garment factory in the SSEZ, said she is happy with her job as it has provided her a steady income, and the atmosphere in the zone is also clean and green.

"Here, there are a lot of factories that have created a lot of jobs for our workers. For me, I'm really excited and happy to work here," she told Xinhua.

Sreyneang said she has worked at the zone for more than 10 years and likes her job very much because it is easy and has provided her with a decent wage that helps improve her family's livelihood.

Hoeung Sophea, a 23-year-old worker at a garment factory in the SSEZ, said the zone has not only contributed to boosting Cambodia's economic growth, but also generated a lot of jobs for locals.

"There are many factories here, so a lot of people have come to work here. With jobs, their living conditions have improved," she told Xinhua.

Sophea, who has worked in the zone for nearly five years and earned a monthly wage of more than 300 dollars, said the SSEZ has helped lift her family out of poverty.

"With my job here, my livelihood is much better than before," the mother of a child said. "Previously, I did not have a job, so I was broke, but now, I have a job, so I have money to support my family."

Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, said the SSEZ is situated near the international deep-sea port, which is very convenient for trade exchanges between Cambodia and the rest of the world.

"The SSEZ, together with other flagship BRI projects, has been playing a crucial role in helping Cambodia achieve its ambitious goals of becoming an upper-middle income country by 2030 and a high-income nation by 2050," he told Xinhua.