September 02, 2011
The sources of China's stunning economic growth over the past 30 years are beginning to lose their punch, highlighting the need for reforms, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said.
If China is to continue to grow strongly, it can no longer rely simply on soaring exports and investment, Zoellick said, but must rebalance through greater domestic consumption.
"The drivers of China's meteoric rise are waning," Zoellick said in an article published on the World Bank's website and to be printed in the Financial Times.
"By 2030, if China reaches a per capita income of $16,000 - a reasonable possibility - the effect on the world economy would be equivalent to adding 15 of today's South Koreas," he said.
"It is hard to see how that expansion could be accommodated within an export and investment-led growth model."
Without fundamental changes, Zoellick said, China will only exacerbate the problems of the world's economy and its own: greater imbalances, higher food and resource prices, more environmental damage, difficulty supporting an aging population, and over-reliance on foreign markets.
Writing on the eve of a high-level meeting in Beijing by Chinese and foreign experts, Zoellick said Beijing's policymakers are well aware of what they need to do.
"The challenge is 'how' to do it," he wrote.
"A critical question is how China can complete its transition to a market economy. A broad agenda needs to include redefining the role of the government and the rule of law, expanding the private sector, promoting competition, and deepening reforms in the land, labor, and financial markets," Zoellick said.
He called on Beijing to promote green industries, strengthen its fiscal system, and build better and more efficient public services, with the private sector taking part.
Zoellick noted that China's strengths have been crucial in helping the world stabilize in crisis, but that its growth model is unsustainable.
"What happens in China is as important as Europe, Japan, or the United States," he reminded.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Chinese growth machine waning: World Bank
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
ភាពស្មុគស្មាញក្នុងដំណើរការចរចាបង្កើតតុលាការខ្មែរក្រហម
ដោយ សេង ឌីណានៅពេលដែលកិច្ចចរចាបានចាប់ផ្តើមឡើងភ្លាម អ.ស.ប. និងរាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជា បានបង្ហាញនូវជំហរខុសគ្នាស្រឡះ ទាក់ទងនឹងសំណួរដែលថា តើតុលាការបែបណាដែលនឹងត្រូវកាត់ទោសមេដឹកនាំខ្មែរក្រហម? អ.ស.ប.ទាមទារឲ្យបង្កើតតុលាការអន្តរជាតិ។ ចំណែករាជរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាវិញ ទាមទារឲ្យធ្វើការកាត់ទោសខ្មែរក្រហម ក្នុងតុលាការជាតិដែលមានស្រាប់ ហើយចៅក្រម និងអ្នកជំនាញផ្នែកច្បាប់អន្តរជាតិ ចូលរួមគ្រាន់តែជាជំនួយដល់ចៅក្រមខ្មែរតែប៉ុណ្ណោះ។
នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រិកសុំឲ្យសភាបោះឆ្នោតគាំទ្រផែនការត្បិតត្បៀតទីពីរ
នៅថ្ងៃចន្ទទី២៧មិថុនាឆ្នាំ២០១១ម្សិលមិញ មួយថ្ងៃមុនការធ្វើកូដកម្មទូទៅដ៏ធំធេងមួយនៅប្រទេសក្រិកដែលមានរយៈពេល៤៨ម៉ោង ដើម្បីសម្តែងបង្ហាញឲ្យឃើញនូវការប្រឆាំងទល់នឹងការដំឡើងពន្ធដារ ការធ្វើឯកជនភាវូបនីយកម្មទៅលើសហគ្រាសសំខាន់ៗរបស់រដ្ឋក្រិក លោក Georges Papandréou នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រិកបានខិតខំបញ្ចុះបញ្ចូលសមាជិកសភាដែលធ្លាប់គាំទ្ររដ្ឋាភិបាល ហើយដែលបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះមាន១៥៥អាសនៈលើ៣០០នៅក្នុងសភាក្រិក ឲ្យបោះឆ្នោតគាំទ្រផែនការត្បិតត្បៀតទីពីរ ដើម្បីជួយស្រោចស្រង់ប្រទេសក្រិកឲ្យចៀសផុតពីធនក្ស័យ។
សភាក្រិកត្រូវជួបប្រជុំពិភាក្សាគ្នាពីបញ្ហានេះពីថ្ងៃចន្ទទី២៧ដល់ថ្ងៃព្រហស្បតិ៍ទី៣០មិថុនាឆ្នាំ២០១១នៅក្នុងបរិយាកាសមួយដ៏ពុះកញ្ជ្រោល។ ចរន្តអគ្គិសនីត្រូវគេកាត់ផ្តាច់ ការដឹកជញ្ជូននិងសេវាសាធារណៈជួបនឹងការគាំងស្ទះ។ នៅថ្ងៃអង្គារនេះ ក្រុមហ៊ុនអាកាសចរណ៍ក្រិកឈ្មោះ Olympic Air បានលុបចេញការហោះហើរជាច្រើនរបស់ខ្លួន ក្រោយពីមានការអំពាវនាវឲ្យចូលរួមធ្វើកូដកម្មប្រឆាំងទល់នឹងផែនការត្បិតត្បៀតទីពីរ។
ចំណែកឯរដ្ឋមន្ត្រីក្រសួងហិរញ្ញវត្ថុនៃបណ្តាប្រទេសក្នុងតំបន់អឺរ៉ូនឹងត្រូវជួបប្រជុំគ្នានៅថ្ងៃទី៣កក្កដាឆ្នាំ២០១១ខាងមុខនេះ ដើម្បីអនុញ្ញាតឲ្យគេផ្តល់ប្រាក់កម្ចីវគ្គទី៥នៅក្នុងក្របខ័ណ្ឌនៃកិច្ចព្រមព្រៀងដែលសម្រេចបាននៅខែឧសភាឆ្នាំ២០១០។ ប្រាក់កម្ចីនេះមានសារៈសំខាន់ណាស់ សម្រាប់យកមកបើកប្រាក់ខែជូនមន្ត្រីរដ្ឋការនិងជូនអ្នកចូលនិវត្តន៍ ហើយនិងយកមកជួយដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាមួយចំនួនដើម្បីជួយរុញច្រានសេដ្ឋកិច្ចក្រិកឲ្យមានដំណើរស្ទុះទៅមុខឡើងវិញ។
គួរកត់សម្គាល់ថា ដោយហេតុតែទីក្រុងព្រុចសែលមានការបារម្ភខ្លាចក្រែងសភាក្រិក ពុំបោះឆ្នោតគាំទ្រផែនការត្បិតត្បៀតទីពីរ ទើបអ្នកទទួលខុសត្រូវអឺរ៉ុបបានរៀបចំឲ្យមានជាស្រេចនូវ ផែនការត្បិតត្បៀតទីពីរ “ស្ទួន” សម្រាប់ជួយបញ្ចៀសកុំឲ្យស្ថានភាពសេដ្ឋកិច្ចនិងស្ថានភាពហិរញ្ញវត្ថុក្រិកជួបនឹងការគាំងស្ទះ។
សូមបញ្ជាក់ថា ផែនការត្បិតត្បៀតទីពីរនេះមានល័ក្ខខ័ណ្ឌតឹងរ៉ឹងជាងផែនការត្បិតត្បៀតទីមួយ ដោយហេតុថាគេកត់សម្គាល់ឃើញមាន ៖
-កម្មវិធីឯកជនភាវូបនីយកម្មដ៏ធំធេងទៅលើសហគ្រាសរបស់រដ្ឋក្រិកសំខាន់ៗដែលតម្រូវឲ្យប្រមូលបានប្រាក់ប្រមាណ៥០ពាន់លានអឺរ៉ូ។
-កាត់បន្ថយប្រាក់សោធននិវត្តន៍។
-កាត់បន្ថយប្រាក់ជំនួយសម្រាប់អ្នកឥតការងារធ្វើ។
-ដំឡើងអត្រាពន្ធលើតម្លៃបន្ថែមពី១៣%ទៅ២៣%។
- ដំឡើងអត្រាពន្ធសាមគ្គីពី១%ទៅ៥%សម្រាប់អ្នកមានប្រាក់ចំណូលលើសពី១២ ០០០អឺរ៉ូ។
ទាំងនេះ រដ្ឋាភិបាលក្រិកសង្ឃឹមថា នឹងអាចប្រមូលបានប្រាក់ចំណូលបន្ថែមទៀតប្រមាណ២៨ពាន់លានអឺរ៉ូចាប់ពីពេលនេះទៅទល់ឆ្នាំ២០១៥៕
Suwit critical of Unesco and Noppadon
Bangkok Post Unesco director-general Irina Bokova showed a lack of respect for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva by refusing to receive his phone calls, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti said on Tuesday. "Mr Abhisit tried to call the Unesco director-general many times to explain Thailand's wish to postpone the consideration of the Preah Vihear temple management plan [proposed by Cambodia], but Mr Abhisit's telephone calls were not answered," said Mr Suwit, who led the Thai delegation to the World Heritage Committee meeting in Paris last week and made the decision to withdraw Thailand's membership of the WHC. Yesterday, Mr Abhisit wrote a message in his Facebook page, saying the Preah Vihear problem started when Mr Noppadon signed a joint statement with Cambodia on June 18, 2008 while he was foreign minister and sought the listing of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site. Unesco director-general Bokova issued a statement yesterday, expressing her deep regret at Mr Suwit's decision to withdraw Thailand from the WHC.
"Thailand can rejoin the WHC anytime but it must take the country's sovereignty and the Thai-Cambodian border situation into account because they are sensitive issues."
Mr Suwit said the current border problem was caused by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's legal adviser Noppadon Pattama, who presented the Preah Vihear issue to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) when he was foreign minister three years ago.
Mr Noppadon today posted a message in his Facebook page, claiming that Prime Minister Abhisit was putting the blame on him for the Preah Vihear dispute.
Mr Noppadon's message says: "My parents taught me not to lie to protect myself and damage other people. Mr Abhisit yesterday defamed me with lies. I forgive him and I'm not angry because Mr Abhisit has no privilege above the law of karma."
Ms Bokova said she hoped "Thailand will carefully consider its future course of action in respect of this important Convention and will continue to be an active participant in the international cooperation for the protection of the world’s outstanding heritage."
Unesco urges Thailand to reconsider withdrawal
By The Nation
Friday, August 6, 2010
Cambodia to sign cooperation deal with Iran on oil
Hor Namhong, who will meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during the delegation's visit on Aug. 10-11, declined to give details on the agreements but he told a news conference Cambodia could benefit from Iranian know-how.
Oil companies are operating off Cambodia but the country is not expected to produce its first oil until 2012.
Koy Kuong, undersecretary of state at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, told Reuters the agreements would involve the exchange of experience and knowledge, and Iran would also provide technical support for the Cambodian oil industry.
Asked why Cambodia had chosen Iran for such agreements, he said: "We are a non-partisan country. We are friends with everyone in the world."
The United States, European Union and others have imposed sanctions on Iran because of its nuclear programme, targeting in particular investment in its oil and gas industries.
Chevron Corp is operating Block A in the Gulf of Thailand and Total also has exploration rights in the area.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Cheers to free visas
The Phnom Penh Post
Cheang Sokha
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong toasts Marty Natalegawa, his Indonesian counterpart, during a meeting on Wednesday at which the pair signed an agreement allowing for free, 30-day tourist visas between the two countries. Cambodia now has visa exemption agreements in place with six ASEAN countries, the others being Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam. Hor Namhong said Wednesday that the government was open to discussing exemptions with Thailand, Myanmar and Brunei, as well as with other Asian countries. “I have a plan to discuss these exemptions with other countries like Japan and South Korea, as the tourism market from these countries is booming right now,” he said.
Flying high in Phnom Penh
The Phnom Penh Post
Chhay Channyda
Workers on Thursday put finishing touches on the capital’s first sky bridge, which will link Norodom Boulevard with National Road 2 heading towards Kandal province’s Takhmao town. Meanchey district Governor Kouch Chamroeun said that the sky bridge would be officially opened on June 24 at a ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Hun Sen. “This bridge will help to ease traffic for people in and out of Phnom Penh,” Kouch Chamroeun said. Construction of the 380-by-14-metre sky bridge began in May 2009, and was set to cost US$6 million. Kouch Chamroeun noted that the city is planning two more sky bridges – one of which, officials said last month, would extend from near the corner of Kampuchea Krom Boulevard and Street 169 to the Boeung Kak lake development site.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Littering fines launched in capital
The Phnom Penh Post
By Chhay Channyda
POLICE have collected more than 600,000 riels (US$143) in fines from people who have been caught littering in public this month, and the waste-collection company Cintri plans to place more rubbish bins in high-traffic areas to aid the city’s renewed anti-littering campaign, officials said Wednesday.
Last month, Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema authorised police to collect fines of 10,000 riels from people caught littering in public beginning May 1.
Phnom Penh Deputy Governor Mann Chhoeun said Wednesday that the total amount collected in fines was greater than 600,000 riels, but added that the municipal Environment Department would be able to provide a precise figure.
Chiek Ang, the department’s director, declined to comment on Wednesday, telling a reporter to send questions in a letter.
Mann Chhoeun said the new campaign was intended to encourage residents and tourists “to be good citizens by not throwing rubbish everywhere on the roads”.
“We want to change the attitude of the people and turn their attention towards contributing to the beautification of the city,” he said.
Seng Chamroeun, Cintri’s vice chairman, said Wednesday that City Hall had requested that more trash cans be placed outside.
“We have received instructions from City Hall to put trash cans at three main public places, which are markets, public gardens and entertainment centres,” he said. “People like walking and littering at those places.
“The places where we are putting trash cans are the dirtiest zones, where people lack knowledge of the environment,” he said.
He said Cintri had already placed new trash cans along Sihanouk and Monireth boulevards.
Tearful Cambodians commemorate Khmer Rouge victims
CHOEUNG EK, Cambodia — Tearful Cambodians marked an annual "Day of Anger" with a re-enactment of Khmer Rouge crimes at a notorious "killing field" on Thursday to commemorate relatives killed by the regime.
Some 3,000 people, including Buddhist monks, watched as students mimed raping, bludgeoning, strangling and eviscerating bound victims to remember those who died at Choeung Ek, a field outside the capital Phnom Penh.
Many sobbed during the performance by the black-clad students just metres (yards) from mass graves where Khmer Rouge soldiers murdered thousands of people during the rule of the hardline communist movement in the late 1970s.
"I still feel very much anger toward the regime," Chea Thov, 63, told AFP during Thursday ceremony.
"Justice is near. But I want all bad Khmer Rouge leaders to be sentenced to death," she said, adding that Khmer Rouge killed her husband and 15 relatives.
Up to two million people were executed or died from starvation, overwork and torture during the communist regime's 1975-1979 reign as it emptied Cambodia's cities and enslaved the population on collective farms.
Five Khmer Rouge leaders are being held by a UN-backed genocide court over their roles in the hardline communist government.
Final arguments in the court's first trial, of Khmer Rouge's main prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, ended in November and a verdict is expected later this year.
Four other leaders including the regime's "Brother Number Two" ideologue Nuon Chea and head of state Khieu Samphan, foreign minister Ieng Sary and his wife, minister of social affairs Ieng Thirith are expected to stand trial next year.
"I am speechless about Khmer Rouge crimes. I hope justice will be rendered very soon so that sadness will fade away from the people's hearts," said another relative of the regime's victims, Nob Chin, 72.