Officials started to arrive in Phnom Penh on Monday to attend the ASEAN Summit and related meetings amid heightened security.
Black armed vehicles from Prime Minister Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit were seen on Monivong Boulevard leading to Sokha Hotel, which will be the venue for the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summit and Related Summits from November 8 to 13.
Strong police and military presence surrounded the venue as hundreds of journalists collected media passes, while some were refused entry to the hotel.
A truck was seen sweeping the streets, while main roads leading to the venue have also been freshly-paved and marked with Cambodian flags. Patrol police boats were also on standby near Sokha Hotel.
According to Fresh News, Phnom Penh Governor, Khuong Sreng, said that the main road delegates will pass through will be Russian Boulevard and parking on the sidewalk will be prohibited.
Fishing activities, cruise ships and fishing boats will also be prohibited, he said.
All ASEAN country leaders, except Myanmar, will attend the Summit. Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang will arrive in Phnom Penh on Tuesday, where he will also participate in the 25th ASEAN China Summit.
There will also be the 23rd ASEAN - Republic of Korea (ROK) Summit, 12th ASEAN - UN Summit, 19th ASEAN - India Summit, 2nd ASEAN-Australia Summit, 25th ASEAN - Japan Summit and the 10th ASEAN - US Summit.
U.S. President Joe Biden will visit Cambodia on Saturday. His tour also includes visits to Egypt, Indonesia and Thailand.
Biden will be in Phnom Penh on Saturday Sunday. The White House said Biden will reaffirm Washington's enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and ASEAN centrality, building on the success of the historic US-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington DC.
“He will underscore the importance of the US-ASEAN cooperation in ensuring security and prosperity in the region, and the wellbeing of our combined one billion people,” the White House said in a statement.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said on his Facebook page that the country has produced 25 watches as souvenirs for the ASEAN delegates. The watches mark ASEAN Cambodia 2022 and have been made by Khmer technicians as part one of the scientific advances and technology.
Hun Sen, according to the official agenda, will hold a press conference on Sunday to close the summit and meetings. This is the third time Cambodia has chaired the regional block summit. Indonesia will be the next chair of ASEAN.
