Analysts: Vietnam’s Ha Tien Road Has No Impact on Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Nov. 25, 2025) — Cambodian analysts have dismissed claims circulating on social media that Vietnam is building a sea-crossing road affecting Cambodia’s maritime territory, saying the project is entirely within Vietnam’s sovereign land and has no impact on Cambodia.

False reports alleged that Vietnam was reclaiming the sea to construct a road from Tien Hai Island in An Giang province to Phu Quoc, known in Cambodia as Koh Tral. The claims, spread mainly by opposition groups abroad, accused Vietnam of infringing on Cambodian waters.

Political geography analyst Thong Mengdavid said Vietnam’s infrastructure development in Ha Tien, including a road and multipurpose port, is an internal matter.

“This project has absolutely no impact on Cambodia. Vietnam is exercising its sovereign right to develop its own territory, and Cambodia has no reason to be concerned,” he said.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh clarified to Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the project consists of a 4,700-meter road and a 240-meter bridge linking mainland Ha Tien to the Ha Tien multipurpose port. Officials confirmed there is no construction connecting the mainland to Phu Quoc and no land reclamation across the ocean.

Cambodia’s Foreign Ministry said the project does not violate the 1982 Cambodia–Vietnam maritime delimitation agreement and urged the public to stop spreading misinformation that could harm bilateral trust.

Geopolitical expert Chay Tech also dismissed the claims as “scientifically and logistically impossible,” describing the project as a standard domestic port-access improvement.

The ministry urged citizens, media outlets and social media users to verify information with official sources before sharing, warning that false claims could damage national interests and regional stability.