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Funded partly through Chinese backing, the Funan Techo Canal embodies the deepening strategic partnership between Cambodia and China. During Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit in April 2023, an agreement was signed to finance the project as a public-private partnership, with Chinese investors holding a 49% stake and Cambodian investors maintaining a 51% majority. This co-ownership model underscores China's strategic influence in Cambodia’s development, aligning with its broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).