As expected, Prime Minister Hun Sen has signed off on a raft of deals with the Chinese government after a meeting with Chinese premier Li Keqiang in Beijing on Monday.

The deals included more than $100 million in concessional loans, a 300 million yuan ($48.4 million) agreement on “economic and technical co-operation” and a $1.67 billion memorandum of understanding for a long-planned oil refinery project.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong called the deals proof that relations between the two countries were becoming “stronger and more advanced”.

Political analyst Lao Mong Hay said the deals were a sign of China’s increasing political influence in the country.

“If you look amongst all the Asian countries, Cambodia is one of China’s closest friends – there’s been a trend of increasing Chinese-backed developments in Cambodia,” he said.

The deals were signed as part of a four-day visit to China. Hun Sen will return to Phnom Penh today, said Kuong.