Cambodia, China Launch Eight Joint Research Projects to Advance Food, Health and Digital Innovation

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Dec. 3, 2025) — Cambodia and China have launched eight joint research projects aimed at strengthening cooperation in science and technology, with a focus on food security, public health and digital advancement.

The projects were unveiled at a ceremony in Phnom Penh presided over by Hem Vanndy, Cambodia’s minister of industry, science, technology and innovation, and Wang Wenbin, China’s ambassador to Cambodia.

The partnership builds on the Agreement on Scientific, Technological and Innovative Cooperation and recent memoranda of understanding between the two countries. It follows the inaugural meeting of the China-Cambodia Intergovernmental Science and Technology Cooperation Joint Commission in July 2024, which identified priority areas for collaboration.

The eight projects were selected from nearly 70 proposals submitted by research teams in both countries. Dai Gang, director-general of China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, said the collaboration is intended to ensure scientific innovation benefits both peoples and contributes to building a “China-Cambodia Community with a Shared Future.”

Try Sophal, director-general of Cambodia’s ministry, said the projects reflect a vision to expand talent development, deepen institutional linkages and promote joint research supporting national priorities.

The two-year projects will focus on food technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and data science. China’s ministry will provide up to 2 million RMB (about $280,000) for each Chinese research team, while Cambodia will provide in-kind and institutional support.

The countries also plan to continue cooperation through platforms such as the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Innovation Corridor and the ASEAN-China Joint STI Committee.