Chinese Tech Investors Lodge Complaint With Ministry

Phnom Penh: Two Chinese investors, Qiong Ye and Jianping Yang, co-directors of a Cambodian based internet technology firmfiled a formal complaint against the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, on September 1, 2021.

The arbitration claim asks for justice and intervention in connection with the revocation of the “ASEAN-China Investment Agreement 2009” as the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications had not allowed the company to operate under the agreement between the two parties.

The dispute seems to be linked to an announcement in March 2021, where internet companies were given just 24 hours to cease operations, as reported here.

Read full complaint in English below:

UPDATE: In an exclusive interview with Rasmei Kampuchea on the night of September 16, Mr. Chea Vandeth, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, said that in ASEAN there is an agreement called the ASEAN-China Investment Agreement, so the company has the right to appeal to an international arbitrator to review his investment. He has the right to sue, but the government also has the right to revoke the license. After starting business in 2016, providing mobile services and internet services, the company never paid the Ministry, even though the ministry wrote a reminder letter,

“We have found all the evidence that they owed more than two million dollars, but he refused,” he said. “So if he does business in Cambodia, he does not pay, we have no choice but to cancel his license. His license is clear. If you do not pay for one year, do not work for one year, we have the right to take it back. It is his right to sue, but we have the right to sue any company that does not pay the state.”

Via CEN (removed) SOURCE TWO