Cambodia and China on Wednesday signed two agreements on economic and technical cooperation, with China making a grant and providing an interest-free loan to Cambodia.

 

The two agreements were signed by Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Hu Qianwen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Under the agreements, Chinese government will offer a grant aid of 50 million yuan (about US$6.25 million) and an interest-free loan of 50 million yuan (about US$6.25 million) to Cambodia.

 

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the signing ceremony.

 

Hor thanked the Chinese government and people for their continuous assistance and support to Cambodia, saying "the new assistance is another testimony to the growing excellent relationship and cooperation between Cambodia and China."

 

Hu said that the Chinese government will continue to do everything it could to assist and support Cambodia's economic construction and development.

 

Hor said he was very pleased to note that the Chinese government has already extended support for numerous reconstruction and development projects in Cambodia, and that the investment and trade exchanges between the business communities have also seen a significant progress.

 

In recent years, bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and China in various fields has become more and more active and fruitful.

 

According to the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), China had become Cambodia's largest investor in the first ten months this year with US$400 million in investment projects approved by the CDC.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2005)