A high delegation of Cambodia's ruling party -- Cambodian People's Party (CPP)-- left Phnom Penh, on Thursday afternoon to begin its eight-day official visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party.

The eight-member party delegation headed by Say Chhum, member of CPP's Permanent Committee and the secretary general of CPP, will visit Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing and held talks with Chinese Communist Party leaders.

The aim of the visit, said by the spokesman of the party, is to further strengthen the friendships and cooperation relations between the two countries and the parties.

In recent years, Sino-Cambodian relations have further been strengthened in many fields. In addition to the top-level official visits, exchanges also increased between the two countries' legislators, local government officials, the military, entrepreneurs.

(Xinhua News Agency November 12, 2004)