I read the English version of the KHMER TIMES almost every day, and I appreciate it very much, as it’s reports in their sections National, Business, International, Good Times, and Sports, not only a regularly good survey of happenings in the country, but the selection of issues shows what kind of international relations are considered to be important. The most often mentioned countries or regions of the world are China, the USA, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, the ASEAN countries, and the European Union. While the frequency of being mentioned varies of course over time, definitely China is mentioned most often.

Just to give some of the recent many examples:

  • King Norodom Sihamoni departs for a visit to the Chinese province of Hainan
  • Cambodia and China to continue strengthening iron-clad friendship and diamond cooperation
  • The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Chinese Federation of Economic and Industrial Research of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao discuss the development of education and human resources
  • The Royal Academy of Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China’s Law School of Guizhou University, a milestone in the collaboration between the two countries
  • Wang Wenbin, the Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia, shrugs off media report, reaffirms Cambodia commitments
  • The Kingdom of Cambodia and China discuss tax policies
  • Chinese story photography exhibition opens in the Cambodian capital
  • Men Sam An, President of the Cambodian Women’s Association for Peace and Development, encourages Cambodian and Chinese women’s associations to jointly improve gender skills, strengthen women’s empowerment
  • Chinese investors seek investment opportunities in agro-processing sector in Cambodia
  • Cambodia and China explore police academy training exchange
  • China-Cambodia cultural show celebrates people-to-people exchange year
  • Cambodia-China media communication forum held in Phnom Penh to boost media ties
  • National Assembly President Khuon Sudary praises All-China Women’s Federation’s work
  • Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, thanks Chinese military for helping modernize the Ream naval base
  • Cambodia and China join forces to tackle Artificial Intelligence challenges
  • Cambodia-China will continue to expand cross-border payment system connectivity

In this context, there was the following article:

Cambodia Angkor Air to add ATR 72-600 aircraft to its fleet

“ATR, the manufacturer of regional aircraft, has announced the addition of three ATR 72-600 aircraft to Cambodia Angkor Air’s fleet… The aircraft, procured by HNCAL (HNCA Aviation Financial Leasing Co., Ltd.), a Chinese lessor and subsidiary of Henan Civil Aviation Development Investment Group Co., will be leased to Cambodia’s national carrier to strengthen domestic and regional routes. Deliveries are set for 2025.”

So far so good and correct. Another example of Chinese-Cambodian cooperation! By delivering Chinese airplanes? No. I first thought so, and I am probably not the only reader who things so. But then I remembered ATR: Avions de Transport Régional – a French-Italian aircraft manufacturer. And reading again carefully, I saw it says “procured by HNCAL”, not “produced” by the Chinese company which is providing a loan to the Cambodian side.

The KHMER TIMES stated, as the source, that the report was taken over from AviTrader, the leading Canadian international electronic source for up-to-date commercial aviation news. Probably hardly any of their readers, interested in aircraft technology and business, will have made my wrong original assumption, because I read it, thinking in my actual Cambodian context.

The KHMER TIMES could have helped to explain the situation better by not only mentioning who is procuring these aircraft to Cambodia, but also adding some details about who is producing them: ATR, a company located in France since 1981, specializing in turboprop aircraft for regional traffic, among experts it is known for their fuel efficiency, making them a popular choice for regional airlines worldwide.

And in 2025 we should be able to enjoy them also in Cambodia.