PHNOM PENH - The Chinese government will import 200,000 tonnes of rice annually from Cambodia from next year, double the current amount, and will also help in the restoration of Preah Vihear temple.
Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Prime Minister Le Keqiang reached agreement on the two matters in discussions on the sidelines of the Asean Summit in Laos, Kao Kim Huon, the minister attached to the prime minister, said at a press conference at Phnom Penh International Airport on Thursday.
“The Chinese government agreed to Samdech’s [Hun Sen’s] request to increase imports of agriculture products from Cambodia, especially by increasing the rice quota to China from 100,000 to 200,000 tonnes. His excellency Le Keqiang told Samdech that the Chinese government will support the repair of Preah Vihear temple,” the Khmer Times on Friday quoted him as saying.
He added that a number of other projects had been agreed upon.
“Now the Chinese government has agreed to provide assistance on two projects such as an irrigation system at the Vaiko River [in Svay Rieng province] and the rehabilitation of National Road 51 [which links national roads 4 and 5 to the west of Phnom Penh],” he said.
Kim Houn did not elaborate on the time frames for the projects, or the costs.