Dara Sakor (Khmer: តារាសាគរ, lit. ‘Star Ocean’; Chinese: 七星海; pinyin: Qīxīnghǎi; lit. [1] In 2007, the Chinese language authorities adopted it as a Belt and Road Initiative undertaking, underwriting a US$15 million bond. [2] In 2008, the Cambodian government granted Chinese-owned Union Development Group (UDG), a subsidiary of Wanlong Group based in Tianjin, a 99-year lease to operate the zone, which includes a US$3.9 billion investment to build the Dara Sakor Worldwide Airport, a deep water port, an industrial zone, and resort amenities. [2][1][3] Dara Sakor’s developments have courted significant scrutiny for corruption, potential use by the Chinese language army, land disputes, and illicit operations, together with human trafficking and cyber scamming (see Scam centers in Cambodia). The zone encompasses 139 sq. miles (360 km2) carved out of Botum Sakor National Park, alongside the coastline of Koh Kong province, encompassing almost 20% of Cambodia’s coastline. ‘Seven Star Ocean’) is a particular economic zone in Cambodia.

Possession
[edit]
Union Improvement Group (UDG) is the principal developer of Dara Sakor. [4] [4] The challenge’s financing sources stay unclear. [4] While the American authorities describes UDG as a Chinese language state-owned agency, although the corporate itself has denied these allegations. [4] A serious development accomplice is Zhengheng Group, owned by Deng Pibing. UDG is a subsidiary of Tianjin Youlian Improvement Group Firm, a significant property developer founded by Li Zhiqiang.

Controversies
[edit]

Land seizures
[edit]
Over 1,000 households were impacted by the venture, with entire villages evicted and resettled without appropriate compensation. [5][6] UDG seized and demolished local land with assistance from private security and the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces underneath the management of senior common Kun Kim. [7] In March 2018, the Cambodian authorities directed its Ministry of Environment to return some land to villagers. [8] [7] Forests from Botum Sakor Nationwide Park have been cleared, regardless of existing Cambodian law that only allows protected areas to be transferred by royal decree. [2] In October 2021, a whole bunch of native households impacted by the land dispute refused the proposed lottery-based mostly compensation from the developer for being inadequate.

Illicit operations
[edit]
Cyber rip-off and human trafficking operations have been reported in Dara Sakor’s Lengthy Bay challenge. [10] Lengthy Bay was beforehand linked to She Zhijiang, a convicted Chinese businessman. [9] As of July 2022, no less than 50 human trafficking victims had been rescued from Lengthy Bay. [5]

Possible navy use
[edit]
The United States Department of State has asserted that the Dara Sakor airport’s 3,400 m (11,200 ft) airstrip can host Chinese language army aircraft. [1][11] The deep-water port may support Chinese warships. [13][14] [12] The Cambodian authorities has granted the Chinese government exclusive rights to function throughout the close by Ream Naval Base, Cambodia’s largest, for 30 years.

US sanctions
[edit]
In September 2020, the United States government blacklisted UDG for corruption, land seizures from locals, and from “credible reviews” the development could be used to host Chinese language military property.[15][8]

Cambodia-China relations

Special Financial Zones of Cambodia

^ a b c Foulkes, John; Wang, Howard (2019-08-14). “China’s Future Naval Base in Cambodia and the Implications for India”. Jamestown. Retrieved 2023-03-09.

^ a b c “In Cambodia, stalled Chinese on line casino resort embodies Silk Street secrecy, risks”. Reuters. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ “Chinese mega-resort in Cambodia raises purple flags”. Bangkok Submit. 2019-07-20. Retrieved 2023-03-09.

^ a b c d “Cambodia-China Complete Investment and Growth Pilot Zone & Dara Sakor Seashore Resort”. The Folks’s Map of global China. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ a b “Long Bay”. Cyber Scam Monitor. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ Titthara, May (2019-12-17). “Cambodians struggle to be compensated for Dara Sakor megaproject”. China Dialogue. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ a b “US Treasury Sanctions Chinese Developer For Land Seizure, Graft in Cambodia Challenge”. Radio Free Asia. 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ a b “Cambodian families refuse land compensation from Chinese language resort developer”. Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ Dara, Danielle Keeton-Olsen, Mech (2022-08-24). “Rescue Reveals Scam Compound at Koh Kong‘s UDG”. VOD. Retrieved 2023-03-10.cite net: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

^ Boyle, Mary Ann; Jolley, David. “Meet Cambodia’s cyber slaves”. Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ Poling, Gregory B.; Dunst, Charles; Hudes, Simon Tran (2022-06-14). “Pariah or Partner? Clarifying the U.S. Strategy to Cambodia”. cite journal: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

^ “Is Cambodia’s Koh Kong project for Chinese language tourists – or China’s navy?”. South China Morning Submit. 2019-03-05. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ Beech, Hannah; Dean, Adam (2019-12-22). “A Jungle Airstrip Stirs Suspicions About China’s Plans for Cambodia”. The brand new York Instances. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ Taylor, Jeremy Web page; Lubold, Gordon; Taylor, Rob (2019-07-22). “Deal for Naval Outpost in Cambodia Furthers China’s Quest for Army Network”. WSJ. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

^ “U.S. imposes sanctions on Chinese language agency over Cambodia venture”. Reuters. 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2023-03-10.

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This page was final edited on 23 December 2025, at 03:13 (UTC).

Dara Sakor