Cambodian PM's visit to China 'ends successfully'

The visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to China came to an end successfully, bringing deeper and stronger ties and cooperation between the two countries, Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh said Wednesday.

"It is a successful visit with a fruitful result," Cham Prasidh told reporters at the Phnom Penh International Airport upon the premier's return from China. "Through this visit, the bilateral relations and cooperation between Cambodia and China will be further enhanced and deepened for mutual interests."

Hun Sen paid an official visit to China from April 6-10. During the visit, he attended the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2013 in Hainan Province and, on the sidelines of the forum, paid a courtesy call on Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Then, he held an official talk with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing.

Cham Prasidh said that after the talk, the two sides signed an action plan on the implementation of the China-Cambodia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation.

He said the two countries have moved from the relationship as a good neighbor, a good friend, a good partner to the level of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation in December 2010.

"This is the top level of relationship between two countries," he said. "We expect that after the visit, the bilateral ties will be deeper and stronger."

Besides, the government of China signed up to provide packages of grant aid and concessional loan to Cambodia for the development of infrastructure including roads, bridges and irrigation system, and for building a vocational school of agriculture.

The two sides also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on a five-million-ton oil refinery project among China Development Bank, China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation, China Perfect Machinery Industry Corporation and Cambodian Petrochemical Company with an investment of 1.67 billion U.S. dollars.

The oil refinery will be built in Cambodia.

"The assistance and investment from China is very important for Cambodia's social and economic development," Cham Prasidh said.

While in Beijing, Hun Sen also paid separate courtesy calls on Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), and former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

"In these meetings, Prime Minister Hun Sen reiterated Cambodia' s staunch support to one-China policy and to all issues related to China's core interests," he added.