Interview: China remains key driver for global economy, main contributor to global peace: Cambodian scholar

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- China remained a major locomotive of global economy and a key contributor to global peace, security and common development, said a Cambodian scholar on Monday.

"By the end of 2025, China remains a primary engine for the global economy, though the nature of its contribution is shifting from being just the world's factory to a leader in the advanced technology and green energy," Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Cambodia, told Xinhua.

He said China's most impressive development sectors included digital technology, artificial intelligence, innovation, green energy, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and solar panels, among others.

"These sectors are impressive not just for their sizes but for their speed and technological global dominance," Matthews said.

"Apart from this, China remains a pillar of the United Nations peacekeeping mission abroad," he said.

China is the second largest financial contributor to the UN peacekeeping budget and provides more troops than any other permanent member of the UN Security Council, he said, adding that by the end of 2025, Chinese blue helmets remain active in overseas peacekeeping missions, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.

Matthews said China's global initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), and the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), have provided tremendous benefits to Southeast Asia and the world at large.

"All these initiatives have completely changed the geoeconomic and geostrategic landscape around the globe," he said.

"The BRI projects have alleviated global poverty significantly, especially in Africa and Asia," Matthews said.

He added that Cambodia is a prime example of BRI cooperation, showcasing transformative infrastructure development such as industrial zones, expressways, airports, and ports.

"BRI's mega-infrastructure projects in Cambodia such as the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway and the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport have become a key driving force for the kingdom's economic, trade and tourism growth," he said.

Looking into the future, China's role in regional and global economy and security will be even more important, Matthews said.

"China will remain a main innovation driver and key contributor to global growth, leveraging its scale in trade and industry, though facing challenges from global uncertainties," he said.

In terms of global security, China will still be a stabilizing force for global peace, security and common development, he added.

Matthews said the GSI will continue to serve as an important framework for addressing complex and intertwined security challenges with a win-win mindset, improving global security governance, and promoting durable peace and development in the region and the world at large. ■