Cambodia-China Journalists Association
Launched in Phnom Penh in May 2019, the Cambodia-China Journalist Association represents part of Beijing’s broader media engagement across Southeast Asia. Co-presidents Soy Sopheap (Cambodia) and Liu Xiao Guang (刘晓光) (China) established the organization to “promote friendship and cooperation,” though the association’s stated objectives raise questions about its journalistic independence. Chinese embassy political counselor Zuo Wenxing (左文星) framed the CCJA’s role as promoting “positive news” about both countries while “fighting against fake news”—language that aligns with China’s approach to media narratives. The association pledges to “professionally disseminate factual information about Chinese investments in Cambodia,” suggesting its function may lean toward advocacy rather than independent reporting.
