PHNOM PENH - China has been playing a very important role to fuel economic development and maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, Cambodian scholars said.

"China plays the first and most important role in boosting economic development of countries in Asia-Pacific," Cheam Yeap, a senior lawmaker and a member of the Central Committee for the ruling Cambodian People's Party, told Xinhua in an interview on Thursday.

"China's progress gives benefits to both the region and the world, particularly developing countries which need capitals for development," he said.

Cambodia's current development could not be detached from China's aid and investment, he said, adding, "Cambodia is very lucky to have a good friend like China."

Chheang Vannarith, senior researcher of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, described China as the locomotive of regional economic development and prosperity.

"China has shared its prosperity with the other countries in the region and the world at large, from Asia to Europe, from America to Africa," he wrote in an e-mail to Xinhua on Thursday.

On the security front, he said China's security role is under pressure and being challenged by the status quo powers.

"China has to invest more in promoting its security role by investing more in strategic dialogues and trust building," said Vannarith, who is also a lecturer of Asia Pacific Studies at the Leeds University in Britain.

"In the last three decades, China has focused only on economic development, so now it is time for China to balance its foreign policy approach by integrating security and economic interests," he said.

He said China needs to outreach more to its neighbors to convince them to have trust and confidence in China's peaceful development.