Cambodian People’s Party marks 68th founding anniversary

The Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) held a grand ceremony in Phnom Penh on June 28 to celebrate its 68th founding anniversary (June 28, 1951).

CPP President and Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen speaks at the ceremony. (Photo: NDO)
CPP President and Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen speaks at the ceremony. (Photo: NDO)

The event was attended by CPP President Samdech Techo Hun Sen, CPP Honorary President Samdech Heng Samrin, other leading officials of the CPP, the Government, the National Assembly and the Senate of the country, along with tens of thousands of CPP members.

It also saw the presence of representatives of diplomatic corps in Cambodia. Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Vu Quang Minh participated in the ceremony.

In his speech, CPP President and Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen said the party was established amidst the Cambodian people’s patriotic fight against French colonialists to regain national independence.

He affirmed that weathering countless difficulties over the last 68 years, the party took the lead in the battle against colonialism to gain and defend national independence, peace and sovereignty from 1953 to 1970. When the country was in the scourge of genocide, the CPP led the fight to defeat the brutal genocidal regime and win the victory on January 7, 1979, to bring about sovereignty, freedom, democracy and dignity to the Cambodian people.

On behalf of the CPP, Hun Sen offered thanks to friend countries, development partners and the international community for assisting Cambodia to revive and obtain a number of achievements over the last 40 years, and for expanding fruitful cooperative relations for Cambodia’s development.

He stated that as seen through the CPP’s resounding wins in elections, especially the sixth general election and the local council election in May 2019, it is clear that the Cambodian people trust in the CPP’s leadership to ensure peace, democracy, respect for law, socio-economic development and improvement of people’s living standards.

Over the last two decades, Cambodia has recorded high economic growth rates, 7 percent annually on average, thanks to strides in industry, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, services, tourism, real estate, telecommunications and transport.

It emerged from a low-income country to a lower-middle income one in 2015. Cambodia posted a growth rate of 7.5% in 2018 against the 7.1% in 2017, and the figure is predicted at 7.1% this year.

Over the last four months, Cambodia attracted 115 investment projects worth US$4 billion, compared to 81 projects worth US$863 million in the whole 2018, he said, adding that per capita income rose five-folds from 2000 to 2018, bringing the poverty rate down from 53.2% in 2004 to 10% in June 2019.

PM Hun Sen emphasised Cambodia has overcome and managed to solve the internal crisis without direction or support from the outside. He also reiterated that his country is not under any external rule and does not permit other countries’ intervention in its internal affairs.