50 Chinese detained in Cambodia after crackdown on prostitution in Sihanoukville
Huge investment has led to a rise in illegal sex services provided by and for Chinese nationals, provincial governor says
About 50 Chinese nationals have been detained in Cambodia as part of a crackdown on prostitution rings in Sihanoukville province, a Chinese investment hub, the provincial governor said on Tuesday.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is a close ally of Beijing and the Southeast Asian country has attracted a surge of Chinese investment in the capital, Phnom Penh, and cities like Sihanoukville, where the development of casinos and hotels has expanded rapidly.
Sihanoukville, a coastal city 225km (140 miles) west of Phnom Penh, has seen a construction boom in recent years supported by a steady stream of Chinese money.
However, the influx of Chinese workers and money has also stirred local resentment and what some authorities say is a rise in criminality in the once-sleepy port town.
Governor Yun Min said Chinese investment in the province had topped US$1 billion but the money came with a rise in illegal sex services provided by and for Chinese nationals in the area.
“When a lot of them come, there are also a lot of demands for the service,” Min said.