R 3503 E MB U N SSUE I MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 Intelligent . In-depth . Independent www.phnompenhpost.com 4000 RIEL US envoy Kingdom, China rebut concludes low-profile Taiwan visit basis for US sanctions FOR a second day, Taiwan’s SPOTLIGHT SET air force scrambled jets after Niem Chheng Chinese-owned company cur- ect among other allegations. tity acting on behalf of a several Chinese fighters and ON MONDULKIRI rently developing the sprawl- US Secretary of the Trea- Chinese government official bombers crossed the sensi- HE Council for the ing $3.8 billion Dara Sakor Sea- sury Steven Mnuchin alleged that was granted a 99-year tive midline of the Taiwan OFFICIALS OVER Development of Cam- shore Resort in Koh Kong that after falsely registering as lease by the government Strait, as a top US diplomat bodia, the Ministry of province. a Cambodian-owned entity for 36,000ha in the south- wrapped up a whirlwind ENCROACHMENT Foreign Affairs and The response came after to receive land for the Dara western province in 2008. visit to the island that includ- TInternational Cooperation, and the US Department of the Sakor development project, The Council for the Develop- ed a dinner with President NATIONAL – page 2 Tianjin Union Investment Treasury’s Office of Foreign UDG reverted to its true own- ment of Cambodia, which is in Tsai Ing-wen. Development Group Co Ltd Assets Control on September ership and continued to op- charge of promoting foreign US Undersecretary for (Tianjin) have responded to US 15 officially sanctioned UDG erate without repercussions. and domestic investments, on Economic Affairs Keith sanctions on Union Develop- for seizing and demolish- He alleged that UDG is a Krach left Taiwan on Satur- ment Group Co Ltd (UDG), a ing locals’ land for the proj- Chinese State-owned en- CONTINUED – page 5 day after attending a memo- rial service for the late former president Lee Teng-hui. The funeral service was held at a chapel in a Chris- tian university in New Tai- pei City, and those in attendance included Presi- dent Tsai and former Vice- ADB APPROVES President Lien Chan. Krach kept a low profile at $127.8M LOAN the memorial, in line with the nature of his visit to Tai- TO EXPAND wan, which had been under wraps until the last minute. POWER GRID Despite the trip being BUSINESS – page 6 relatively low key compared to last month’s visit by US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, Krach’s presence still prompted Beijing to first send 18 military jets into the Taiwan Strait on Friday, and 19 jets on Saturday. Beijing also announced a military exercise near the Taiwan Strait. On Thursday, the Chinese foreign ministry lambasted THAI PROTESTERS Krach’s visit, accusing the US of severely violating the DEFY MONARCHY, one-China principle and undermining Sino-US ties. INSTALL ‘plaqUE It also vowed to retaliate. of the people’ Its spokesman Wang Wen- Under the weather bin on Friday called the WORLD – PAGE 10 military exercise a “justifia- Six people died in Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong provinces and almost 500 sought safety when rain flooded their houses on STORY > 3 ble and necessary action September 18 and 19. PREAH SIHANOUK PROVINCIAL HALL taken in response to the cur- rent situation across the Tai- wan Strait and to safeguard China’s sovereignty and ter- ritorial integrity”. A National Anti-money laundering work lauded Defence Ministry spokes- man made similar remarks. Niem Chheng authorities, who reviewed the bodian officials from relevant bodian delegation, the evalua- In a strident editorial on progress of action plans institutions and 32 interna- tors of the ICRG-JG noted Saturday, the Chinese State- AT A virtual meeting last week, regarding anti-money laun- tional participants from India, efforts that relevant Cambo- backed tabloid Global Times the International Co-opera- dering, anti-terrorism financ- China, Japan, Germany, the dian authorities had made in said the latest exercise and tion Review Group (ICRG-JG) ing, and the non-proliferation US, France, the UK, Australia, following action plans such as previous drills have given the SAVOury, BUT of the Financial Action Task of weapons of mass destruc- New Zealand, the Asia/Pacific the promulgation of the anti- People’s Liberation Army Force (FATF) noted Cambo- tion, said a National Bank of Group on Money Laundering money laundering and terror- enough experience to attack WITH A STENCH: dia’s efforts in implementing Cambodia (NBC) press and FATF. ism financing law, mutual legal Taiwan, calling them “rehears- action plans against money release. An official report about assistance in criminal affairs, als on taking over Taiwan”. BUN DAU LANDS laundering, which included The NBC said the meeting Cambodia’s progress on these and the non-proliferation of What is missing now is a the promulgation of an anti- was the fourth of its kind with matters is expected to be sub- weapons of mass destruction political reason for China to IN THE CAPITAL money laundering law. the ICRG-JG, which is a work- mitted for approval at a FATF law,” the NBC said. begin a real war to “smash The virtual meeting included ing group of FATF. summit in October. LIFESTYLE – page 12 ICRG-JG and Cambodian It was attended by 60 Cam- “After meeting with the Cam- CONTINUED – page 2 CONTINUED – page 9 THE PHNOM PENH POST Major powers attempting National to bully Cambodia, PM says Inside page 3 2 THE PHNOM PENH POST SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 WWW.phnompenhpost.COM National Mondulkiri officials under GM disputes cause of Preah Sihanouk fire for land encroachment textile factory blaze Voun Dara Sera told The Post: “I moved Khouth Sophak Chakrya break to celebrate Pchum Ben back to the Ministry of Interior with their families, he said. RIME Minister Hun because of some problems.” A FIRE caused severe damage “I still do not know about the Sen has agreed with O’Raing district governor to a textile factory in Com- exact cause of this fire, but I do the results of the inter- Seak Mony was asked to pro- mune I, Preah Sihanouk, on not support the police assump- ministerial working vide more education. September 19, said provincial tion. We turned off the electric- Pgroup on the study of illegal for- Poeb Pe, Sre Preah com- deputy police chief Bou Sothy ity in our factory and our work- est encroachment in protected mune chief in Keo Seima who is in charge of explosive ers did not work. At no point areas in Mondulkiri province. district, Thvan Trel, Sen Mo- ordnance and fire. was there any electrical failure. But he has yet to issue a norom commune chief in Sothy told The Post on Sunday We want a further investigation formal announcement after O’Raing district, and But Sam that after surveying the scene into the fire,” he said. Minister of Interior Sar Kheng El, Sre Khtum commune chief and interviewing guards at Lin’s Yati said he could not evalu- requested the termination of in Keo Seima district, were re- Textile Co Ltd, police believe ate the losses yet. “I still need to some official positions, ac- quested by the Ministry of In- the fire could have been caused check the goods list,” he said. cording to ministry spokes- terior to impose greater disci- by an electrical failure. In a separate case, local man Khieu Sopheak. plinary action under the law “A security guard said they authorities reported a fire at Sopheak told The Post on on commune administration. could smell burnt wire and Samrong Yong Market in Bati Sunday the inter-ministerial According to Sar Kheng’s see smoke from the ware- district, Takeo province. The Sar Kheng has called for some officials to be fired. HEAN RANGSEY working group has been study- letter, names of other officials house, but they could not en- fire claimed 230 out of 282 ing the case of illegal forest land The decision to establish requested the prime minister have been sent to Prime Min- ter because it was locked,” he shops on Thursday, the last occupation and encroachment the inter-ministerial working keep him in his position and ister Hun Sen to review. said, adding that nobody was day of Pchum Ben. of protected areas in Mon- group was based on a note educate him to fulfil his respon- Kroeung Tola, a forestry ac- injured in the blaze. Takeo provincial deputy gov- dulkiri province with transpar- from the Prime Minister dat- sibilities,” the letter stated. tivist in Mondulkiri, insisted Sothy said the fire con- ernor Yos Nasy told The Post ency, integrity and evidence. ed July 8. The same letter noted a re- to change some senior official sumed tools and raw mate- that the fire is estimated to have “We have all the principles, but Sar Kheng assigned Min- quest for the termination of of the Mondulkiri provincial rials including thousands of consumed about $8 million in as we have not yet received the ister of Interior secretary of Region 8 Senator Noy Sron. administration. He claims metres of yarn and fabric. goods as shops were burned directive for implementation. state Ang Mongkul to head The group found that Sron that when senior provincial Lin’s Textile general manager and damaged almost entirely. We will not be able to announce the working group to study used his position and power officials have a bad reputa- Lin Yati told The Post on Sun- Mech Marika a rising Khmer publicly. It is not a secret. the case of illegal forest land to instruct local officials to tion related to such crimes, day he does not yet agree with actress who has a shop in the “We already have every- occupation and encroach- sign illegal land documents.