Shining symbol of friendship
New sports stadium becomes a powerful emblem of strong Sino-Cambodian ties
Traveling along National Road 5 in the suburbs of Phnom Penh, tourists can easily see a mammoth “sailing shipshaped” structure: the China-funded Morodok Techo National Stadium.
The stadium will be the centerpiece venue for tournaments when Cambodia hosts the Southeast Asian Games for the first time in May 2023.
Developed by the China State Construction Engineering Corp under China’s grant aid, the project started in August 2017 and was fully completed in August this year.
A handover ceremony of the stadium to Cambodia was held on Sept 12 in the presence of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Cambodian Tourism Minister Thong Khon, who is also the president of the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, said the stadium is a great achievement in Cambodia’s sports sector and a new symbol of the friendship between Cambodia and China.
The 39.9-meter-tall structure has been built in the shape of a sailing ship — both of its prows are 99 meters tall, and it is encircled by an ancient Angkor-style moat.
“The sailing ship symbolizes a long-standing traditional friendship between Cambodia and China because Chinese people used to travel by sailing ships to Cambodia in ancient times,” Thong Khon said.
He said the 99-meter-tall prows of the sailing ship-like stadium depict the gesture of sampeah (placing the palms together in a prayer-like fashion as a greeting or a way of showing respect in Cambodia), which truly reflects Cambodian culture and tradition.
Covering a 16-hectare parcel in the 85-hectare Morodok Techo National Sports Complex, the five-story stadium has been constructed with advanced technology and high-quality materials, Thong Khon said.
“China State Construction Engineering Corp was very responsible and it used high-end technology for the construction of the stadium in full compliance with all technical standards,” he said.
“The stadium has a seating capacity of 60,000 with a design that will allow a full evacuation in seven minutes in case of emergency.”
The minister added that QR codes have been installed on each seat.
Located about 18 kilometers in the northern part of the capital, the stadium also houses a hotel, sportswear and equipment shops, food courts and other facilities.
“It will not only support the development of the sports sector, but also serve as a magnet to attract tourists, especially Chinese guests, to Cambodia in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era,” Thong Khon said.
The stadium is one of the cooperation projects between Cambodia and China under the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming at promoting sports, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contact.
Speaking at the event, Hun Sen
said the stadium was the fruit of close cooperation between Cambodia and China, adding that he has never expected that the kingdom would have such a beautiful stadium.
“It’s a record of the friendship between Cambodia and China,” he said. “Without support from China, we would definitely not have had this stadium.
“I can say that this is just the fruit harvested at the beginning of the season through our ironclad friendship,” Hun Sen added.
Wang said the stadium is the largest sports complex that China has provided to its foreign friends with grants.
“We built this nicely large stadium in Cambodia because our two peoples’
friendship is very profound,” he said.
“I hope that Cambodian people and athletes will enjoy their sports events at this stadium and hope that Cambodian athletes will make more achievements in the 2023 SEA Games,” Wang added.
Phay Siphan, the Cambodian government’s chief spokesman said the stadium clearly demonstrated China’s particular attention to supporting Cambodia’s sports development.
“The stadium will serve as another bridge to connect the hearts of the peoples of our two countries,” he said.
“It will also promote people-topeople bonds between Cambodia and the rest of the world, because it will bring together athletes and visitors from around the globe when there are major tournaments.”
The stadium will be used to host major tournaments such as soccer, rugby and athletics, as well as largescale exhibitions or cultural events.
Keo Sareth, secretary-general of the Football Federation of Cambodia, said the stadium not only injected fresh impetus into Sino-Cambodian ties, it will also improve Cambodia’s image in the international arena.
“We have wished to build a modern and large stadium like this for a long time. Now, with China’s support, our dream comes true. It will promote Cambodia’s honor and prestige on the international arena,” he said.
National sprinter Pen Sokong, 28, said, “It’s a symbol of pride for Cambodia because in our history we have never had such a great stadium.”
Sokong, who competed in the men’s 100-meter dash in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in July, said the stadium will be a new driving force for Cambodia’s athletes to train harder for the 2023 SEA Games.
“I’m really looking forward to contesting at the new stadium then,” he said.