Recently, in response to reports from some international media about the funding shortage faced by the Chinese funded construction of the Dechongfu South Canal project in Cambodia, CambodiaDeputy Prime MinisterSun Zhantuo strongly refuted in public and made it clear that the project did not encounter any funding issues and would be completed as planned or even ahead of schedule.

The Khmer Times quoted Sun Zhantuo's speech in its report. He strongly criticized some international media for false reporting, stating that these media seem to only obtain information from the perspectives of discussion, ridicule, and bystanders, without truly touching and understanding the actual situation of participating in the canal project. Sun Zhantuo emphasized, "I want to make it clear to everyone that the Dechong Funan Canal project is progressing smoothly, with sufficient funds and no shortage issues

As one of the key infrastructure projects promoted by former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during his tenure, the Dechongfu South Canal has always been highly regarded. The canal is 180 kilometers long and is the first waterway in Cambodian history to directly connect from the capital Phnom Penh to the Gulf of Thailand. The completion of this project will greatly shorten the transportation distance from Phnom Penh to the seaport, allowing shipping to bypass ports in southern Vietnam and further reduce Cambodia's economic dependence on Vietnam. This will not only help enhance Cambodia's international trade capacity, but also inject new vitality into the country's economic development.

In August of this year, the son of the Cambodian Prime Minister, Hong Mane, presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the canal project. At the ceremony, he revealed that the total investment of the canal project is 1.7 billion US dollars, of which 49% is provided by the Chinese state-owned enterprise China Road and Bridge Corporation, and the rest is borne by Cambodian investors. However, recent international media reports have stated that Phnom Penh has not yet received clear funding commitments from Beijing, and the groundbreaking ceremony held on the banks of the Mekong River three months ago has been abandoned. In response to this, the Cambodian Ministry of Public Works and Transport quickly stated that these reports are "untrue" and "have no clear basis".

In addition, Sun Zhantuo also gave a clear response to the comments made by Cambodian netizens who claimed to have lost their homes due to the canal project. He emphasized that the government has not taken any land from the people. At the beginning of the project, the working group used drones and satellite images to assess the impact of the canal project on local residents. The initial assessment results showed that 1585 houses may be affected. But after modifying the canal route, the number of affected houses increased to 2305. However, after further detailed planning and negotiation, it was ultimately determined that only the residents of 400 houses needed to be relocated. Sun Zhantuo stated that the government will ensure that the rights and interests of these relocated residents are fully protected and provide them with necessary assistance and resettlement.