PHNOM PENH -- A Chinese electrician at a coal-fired power plant in was killed in Cambodia on Wednesday night, police said Thursday.

Zhang Mingju, 44, a native to China's eastern Jiangsu province, was stabbed many times on his chest and stomach at midnight in his rental room in Preah Sihanouk province, said Sam Saroeun, chief of the provincial immigration police office, adding that he died after being sent to hospital for half an hour due to serious injuries.

"It is unclear if it is a murder or robbery," he told Xinhua over telephone, adding that the police have not identified the perpetrator(s).

"An investigation is underway," he said.

The victim had a Cambodian wife with a 3-year-old son.