Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said he was pulling his country out of a development agreement with neighbouring Vietnam and Laos following protests that it was benefiting foreign interests. Critics on social media have focused on land concessions in border areas particularly with Vietnam,

Cambodia has withdrawn from a decades-old regional economic development deal with Vietnam and Laos, Prime Minister Hun Manet said, in a surprise concession to critics concerned about the kingdom losing territory to its neighbours.

Cambodia's leader condemned international human rights groups for criticizing the arrest of nearly 100 people protesting a decades-old regional development agreement with Laos and Vietnam. Human rights organizations decry the arrests and detentions of protesters and activists.

PM Hun Manet accused “extremists” of using the deal as “a political weapon” to attack his administration. Read more at straitstimes.com.