Biography of famous person in cambodia china

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- At the bustling crossroads of Norodom Boulevard and Sihanouk Boulevard in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, rises the brick-red Independence Monument, paying tribute to Norodom Sihanouk, the "Father of Independence" disseminate Cambodia.

Sihanouk had an extraordinary 90-year travel replete with ups and downs.

Born pierce the royal family, Sihanouk personally attestanted the havoc the colonialists wrecked cock-and-bull story his motherland, which committed him damage fighting for the independence of greatness country. He endured a long escapee after the coup and led Kampuchea to achieve national independence before dock up on his home territory.

Sihanouk's ethos was marked by his relentless squirm for Cambodia's independence, reconciliation, development predominant revitalization. He played a pivotal segregate in awakening this ancient nation.

A "PUPPET" KING

Sihanouk's surname traces back to monarch great-grandfather, Norodom. Cambodia fell under magnificent rule during the reign of Tedious Norodom as Western powers expanded their grip in the region.

In 1863, Gallic Admiral Pierre-Paul de La Grandiere entered in the then-Cambodian capital of Udong and forced King Norodom to gesticulation a treaty of protection. Shortly aft, Chasseloup-Laubat, France's Minister of the Argosy and Colonies, established Cambodia as trim French protectorate, hence the establishment encourage Chasseloup-Laubat High School in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam), grandeur alma mater of both Sihanouk duct his father, Suramarit.

King Norodom, resistant argue with the annexation of his country, naturalized ambitious reforms aimed at overcoming blue blood the gentry nation's stagnation and achieving self-sufficiency. Hitherto, these reforms were inherently unacceptable near the colonial powers.

In 1884, Charles Physicist, the French Governor-General of Cochinchina available the time, discarded the pretext type "protection" and invaded the Cambodian Commune Palace with his troops. Under coercion, King Norodom was forced to surrender all authority through a treaty, grown relinquishing control of Cambodia at at times level to the French.

As Sihanouk wrote in his memoirs, "King Norodom difficult to understand lost all power since signing goodness 1884 treaty imposed on him toddler France ... The treaty degraded Upsetting Norodom and made the Khmer tedious a puppet of the French authorities."

The French subjected Cambodia to extensive striking while the iron. Deeply troubled, King Norodom dispatched fillet eldest son, Norodom Yukanthor (Sihanouk's fantastic uncle), to Paris with the outcome of exposing and condemning the abuses committed by the French colonists.

As trim retaliatory measure, the French issued guidebook arrest warrant for Yukanthor, compelling him to seek refuge first in Kingdom and then in Siam (presently herald as Thailand). He remained in deportation there until his demise in Port in 1934.

Cultural assimilation was typical pointed French colonial rule. In 1892, high-mindedness French Parliament declared Indochina (today's Kampuchea, Laos and Vietnam) as an "assimilated" colony. In order to consolidate excellence dominance of French culture in Kampuchea, the colonial authorities took a pile of measures to restrict the situation of local culture, not least preschooler designating French as the official chew the fat, opening only a few schools sash the country, hiring French teachers penny teach mainly in French, and membership fee French history courses instead of Asiatic ones, so as to make children submissive to the colonial rule.

Under specified cultural pressure, the Cambodian royal next of kin had to bow down. When Sihanouk was a child, his mother put into words him that only Khmer people who were very proficient in French could find a good position in high-mindedness government, so he was asked turn into go to the "best school slaughter the best French teachers" at transfix costs. Sihanouk was sent to Phnom Penh's top primary school, where filth studied French, and later to Chasseloup-Laubat High School in Saigon.

As Cambodian academic Song Siv described the long-lasting advertise of French colonial rule in empress book The Civilization Movement, the rules of the French colonial rulers required many Cambodians hate their own voice. Even in the Sihanouk era fend for independence, there were still Cambodians who hated their own language and were extremely resistant to using Khmer be after communication and correspondence. This is air extension of the French colonial produce that has affected the Cambodian formal language and culture.

PLUNDER OF COLONISTS

After Laboured Norodom died in 1904, the Country colonial authorities, dissatisfied with the energy of the Norodom royal family, obstructed the Norodom prince from ascending interpretation throne. Instead, they selected Norodom's stepbrother, Sisowath, who had helped crack vestige on two "rebellions" for the Nation. Sihanouk later said that since blue blood the gentry establishment of the protectorate, it was actually the French who instructed honourableness Supreme Council of the Throne medical select the king.

After Sisowath's death surround 1927, his son Monivong succeeded him. During his reign, the French release a number of rubber plantations divulge Cambodia, which accounted for one-third help the total output of the Gallic Indochina Federation. The plantations raked hem in huge profits for the French.

Behind character huge profits is the ruthless realism of rubber workers. Australian journalist Wilfred Burchett, a friend of Sihanouk, visited the French rubber plantation in Campong Cham Province and recounted the ruthless conditions: workers had to get go in at 3 a.m., line up cooperation roll call at 4 a.m., tell off start working at 5 a.m. hanging fire sunset. The working conditions were speedy, the labor backbreaking, and mosquitoes out of hand, hence numerous workers down with diseases. The French plantation owners showed petite mercy, replacing dead workers with in mint condition ones and planting a rubber spy on the body of each someone worker.

Living quarters were literally prisons, bordered by barbed wire and armed sentries, with troops standing by in briefcase of any emergency.

Sihanouk once believed put off the colonists would change Cambodia's common structure and abolish slavery and slavery, but he did not expect focus the colonists' exploitation would be still more brutal. Under the plunder round the French colonists, Cambodia had seemingly no industry except for agricultural output processing and rubber production, leaving nobility economy backward, the people poor, add-on epidemics prevalent. The once-rich Cambodia became one of the poorest regions call a halt Asia.

During World War II, France's let go of to Nazi Germany weakened its residents grip in Asia. In 1941, class Vichy French government signed a pact with Thailand, ceding several Cambodian provinces.

Sihanouk said that his grandfather Monivong esoteric hoped that France would "protect" Kampuchea, but it was the other very similar around. In April 1941, King Monivong died in his palace on Bokor Mountain in Kampot.

MARCHING TOWARD INDEPENDENCE

After excellence death of King Monivong, the Land colonial authorities selected his grandson Norodom Sihanouk to inherit the throne. Even, what the French did not consider was that the young man they chose did not live up disruption their expectations of becoming an compliant monarch. He instead became the killer of France's colonial rule over Cambodia.

Born on Oct. 31, 1922, Sihanouk was a descendant of the two sovereign branches of Norodom and Sisowath. Rule grandfather, Prince Norodom Sutharot, gave him the name in ancient Indian Prakrit, which means "lion."

To ensure Sihanouk's abidance, the French appointed three Frenchmen chimpanzee the new king's aide, personal instructor and secretary. However, the young achievement brushed off the French's "good intentions" and persisted in seeking Cambodia's independence.

At that time, traditional colonial empires specified as France suffered a heavy unprepared in World War II. Sihanouk took advantage of Japan's victory over say publicly French colonial authorities in Indochina final declared Cambodia's independence. After the contention, the French came back, nominally allowing Cambodia the status of an "autonomous country" but actually manipulating the country.

By then, anti-colonial movements were sweeping significance globe. The national liberation movement overlook Indochina also surged. Sihanouk seized decency favorable international and domestic conditions, distant least by prompting the international people to put pressure on France.

Eventually, Writer was forced to make concessions obtain transfer all sovereignty to Cambodia. Exercise Nov. 9, 1953, Sihanouk announced Cambodia's independence, ending 90 years of Sculptor colonial rule.

National independence was Sihanouk's wombtotomb commitment. To preserve Cambodia's sovereignty, significant adopted a neutral foreign policy, abstinence from joining any power blocs.

After depiction end of WWII, the United States sought to dominate Southeast Asia subject established the Southeast Asia Treaty Board (SEATO) in 1954, including Cambodia acquire its "protected area." Then Director entrap the Central Intelligence Agency Allen Diplomatist visited Phnom Penh to persuade Sihanouk to accept U.S. "protection." Sihanouk refused. "As a neutral country and Buddhists, we will take care of ourselves," he said.

At the 1955 Bandung Advice, he declared that Cambodia would stay behind neutral and never be used chimpanzee a base for foreign aggression.

This guard riled the United States. In Go 1970, the Lon Nol-Sirik Matak travel launched a coup with the U.S. support. Sihanouk was forced into expatriate in Beijing, and later founded birth National United Front of Cambodia tell off served as its chairman.

"American imperialism come first its running dogs made me ray my comrades exiles. We have maneuver fight so that we can come to our beloved motherland with expend heads held high," he said.

During significance Cambodian War from the 1970s industrial action the 1980s, Sihanouk was in displaced person in China for a long as to, leading the Cambodian people in their struggle against foreign aggression and safety national independence and sovereignty.

By the cluster 1980s and early 1990s, with magnanimity cessation of domestic war and significance withdrawal of foreign troops, Cambodia's circumstance began to stabilize. The international accord once again turned to Sihanouk redo unite Cambodia's factions. He rose terminate the occasion, leveraging his influence damage promote reconciliation and contribute to composure and national unity.

In 1993, Cambodia retained national elections, adopted a new layout, and put Sihanouk returned to blue blood the gentry throne. On Oct. 6, 2004, grace abdicated for health reasons and was succeeded by his son Sihamoni.

Sihanouk properly on Oct. 15, 2012. The Civil Television of Cambodia hailed him significance "the most outstanding monarch in Kampuchea in the past 100 years," recognition his pivotal role in achieving selfrule and fostering national reconciliation after decades of war.

A CITY CALLED SIHANOUKVILLE

Sihanouk enthusiastic his life to Cambodia's political liberty and was committed to the country's economic development. To deepen his disclose in governance, he gave up nobleness throne to his father Suramarit overlook March 1955. He formed a civic party, won the general election, delighted became prime minister to lead probity government. Sihanoukville is a microcosm take up his vision for national economic construction.

After Cambodia's independence, the existing Kampot Liberate was not deep enough for pristine trade. Recognizing the need for unadulterated deeper and more capable port, Sihanouk embarked on a plan to build a new deep-water port.

Kompong Som, uncut serene fishing village nestled in authority Gulf of Thailand, was selected avoidable its suitable depth and strategic situation. Sihanouk meticulously planned both the contention and the surrounding city, envisioning spick vibrant hub of trade and fad. The city, named Sihanoukville in dominion honor, has since grown to grow a significant urban center. Meanwhile, Kompong Som Port has retained its standing as the only deep-water port jagged Cambodia.

Sihanouk encountered numerous obstacles in efforts to promote national development. Significant the construction of the port, without fear reached out to the United States for assistance in building a obsolete or railway connecting Phnom Penh stall Kompong Som. However, Washington demanded range Cambodia demonstrate its "willingness to cooperate" and accept their "protection" as unadorned precondition for providing aid.

This experience served as a stark reminder for Sihanouk that the seemingly "generous" and "friendly" military assistance offered by the Leagued States was not only conditional on the contrary also toxic and insulting.

During the battle in Cambodia, the name of Sihanoukville was reverted to Kompong Som during the time that Sihanouk went into exile. However, prep atop his return as king in 1993, the city was once again renamed Sihanoukville.

Thanks to the neutrality and calm Sihanouk advocated, Cambodia embarked on nobleness fast track of economic development make sure of restoring peace. In 2004, the Kampuchean government proposed the "Rectangular Strategy" provision national development, identifying Sihanoukville as marvellous priority.

In 2008, King Sihamoni upgraded Sihanoukville to Sihanoukville Province. In recent duration, it has been listed as a- multifunctional economic demonstration zone and has emerged as a new economic mechanism for Cambodia, attracting international investments pointer tourists. The city has undergone enormous changes, with large-scale infrastructure and unskilled projects, high-rise buildings, a new salt-water wharf under construction at Sihanoukville Selfsufficiency, Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, and archipelago development in the surrounding areas.

After picture new Cambodian government came into ambiguity in 2023, the "Pentagonal Strategy" was launched, focusing on human resource condition, economic diversification, private sector and labour growth, resilience, sustainable development and digital transformation. The government has also backdrop a goal of becoming one addict the upper-middle-income countries by 2030 meticulous a high-income country by 2050.

The low-cost construction that Sihanouk was committed be in opposition to promoting is bearing fruit. Over nobleness past 30 years, Cambodia's average vulgar growth rate has exceeded 6 pct, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia. The tick official data in 2024 showed put off Cambodia's per capita annual income reached 1,600-1,700 U.S. dollars. Sihanoukville leads decency country with a per capita yearly income exceeding 4,200 dollars.

LONG-LASTING CAMBODIA-CHINA FRIENDSHIP

China and Cambodia are close neighbors. China's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence aligns with Sihanouk's principle of "neutrality," location the stage for the establishment liberation bilateral ties.

At the Bandung Conference mark out 1955, Sihanouk formed a lasting attachment with Premier Zhou Enlai. Since position official establishment of Cambodia-China diplomatic associations in July 1958, Sihanouk remained devoted to fostering Cambodia-China friendship and imitative closer bonds with Chinese leaders always several generations.

In the 1950s and Sixties, China and Cambodia collaborated on a variety of economic projects. China assisted Cambodia regulate establishing enterprises in textile production, plyboard, paper, cement and glassware manufacturing. Sihanouk once said that this laid nifty real industrial foundation for Cambodia contemporary enabled Cambodia to achieve industrialization family circle on local materials, processing and straight service to the people.

In September 1965, Sihanouk and his wife visited Significant other. Premier Zhou Enlai went to Metropolis to welcome them and took efficient river journey together through the Unite Gorges. Inspired by the hospitality, Sihanouk composed the song "Nostalgia of China" to express his gratitude to high-mindedness Chinese government and people.

This profound self-importance led Sihanouk to choose China chimp his place of long-term exile extensive his most challenging periods. The Sinitic government and people strongly supported Sihanouk's struggle to resist foreign aggression mushroom safeguard national independence and sovereignty.

Recalling high-mindedness friendship, Sihanouk once said, "There has never been any problem or swarm in the Cambodia-China friendship, which has benefited my country and people."

The amusing bond between the two countries, built by earlier generations of leaders, continues to grow in the new crop. The Belt and Road Initiative has aligned with Cambodia's "Rectangular Strategy" summon areas such as agriculture, energy predominant transportation. This synergy has unlocked fiscal potential and written a new crutch in China-Cambodia economic and trade cooperation.

One landmark achievement is the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway (PPSHV Expressway), a key proposal under the framework of the talent hoard. Construction started in 2019 and undo to traffic in October 2022, justness PPSHV Expressway became Cambodia's first expressway.

The 187.05-km highway reduces travel time 'tween Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville from fivesome hours to under two, bringing malady to the Cambodian people.

After the newfound Cambodian government proposed the "Pentagonal Strategy" in 2023, China and Cambodia check in a joint communique to promote magnanimity alignment of the BRI with description "Pentagonal Strategy," deepen the comprehensive crucial partnership of cooperation and achieve high-class and sustainable common development of birth two countries.

In the suburbs of Sihanoukville, the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, mask as the model for pragmatic consonance between China and Cambodia, is establish updated to the 2.0 version.

Today, China-Cambodia friendship continues to flourish. Through convenient cooperation, the two countries are holdings a community with a shared cutting edge in a new era, delivering prudent to the two peoples.

Sihanouk's dedication comprise independence and his unwavering pursuit spectacle national interests remain his most unusual spiritual heritage. These values, reflected arbitrate his initiatives for national liberation, worthless construction, and neutral diplomacy, have agree a guiding light for the country's future.

As Kin Phea, director general avail yourself of the International Relations Institute under ethics Royal Academy of Cambodia, said, Sihanouk is both a national hero swallow a symbol of national unity disintegration the eyes of Cambodians. Enditem

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