Chinese Cambodians
Chinese Cambodians (or Sino-Khmers) are Cambodian citizens of Chinese ancestry or Chinese of full or partial Khmer ancestry. The Khmer term Khmer Kat Chen (ខ្មែរកាត់ចិន) is used for people of mixed Chinese and Khmer descent; Chen Khmer (ចិនខ្មែរ) means Cambodian-born citizen with ancestry from China. The Khmer constitute the largest ethnic group in Cambodia among whom Chen means "Chinese". Contact with the Chinese people such as envoys, merchants, travelers and diplomats who regularly visited Indochina verifiably existed since the beginning of the common era. However the earliest record of a Chinese community in Cambodia dates to the 13th century.
ចិនខ្មែរ/ខ្មែរកាត់ចិន 柬埔寨華人 | |
|---|---|
Sino-Khmers at a wedding celebration in Kampong Thom | |
| Total population | |
| 343,855–700,000 (est.) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Phnom Penh, Kampong Thom, Battambang, Kampot, Takeo, Banteay Meanchey, Rattanakiri, Stung Treng | |
| Languages | |
| Khmer, Teochew, Cantonese, Hokkien, Hainam, Hakka, Standard Chinese, etc | |
| Religion | |
| Chinese folk religion (Confucianism and Taoism), Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism and significant minorities profess Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Overseas Chinese |
Chinese Cambodians also play a leading role in Cambodia's business sector and dominate the Cambodian economy today. In addition, Chinese Cambodians have a strong presence in Cambodia's political scene with many high ranking government officials and much of the country's political elite being of Chinese ancestry.