DAP: The breaking news in Cambodia: “Cambodian top legislator hails ties with China” plus 3 more

PHNOM PENH, April 30 (Xinhua) -- President of Cambodia's National Assembly Heng Samrin on Tuesday spoke highly of good relations and cooperation between Cambodia and China, and expressed his gratitude to China for assisting his country in all circumstances.

"China has been playing a very important role in Cambodia. Our two countries have built good relationship in all fields including politics, economics, education, culture, health and defense," he said during a meeting with outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue.

He said in the last 10 years, China was the largest aid provider to Cambodia for the construction of roads and bridges.

"On behalf of Cambodian people, I'd like to express my sincere and heartfelt thanks to the government and people of China for supporting Cambodia in all stages including the stages of national liberation, reconciliation and development," Heng Samrin said.

He also noted that the visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to China early this month was a new testament to both sides' high commitment to further strengthening and expanding the bilateral ties and cooperation.

Meanwhile, he lauded Ambassador Pan for his strong efforts in helping promote friendship relations, solidarity, and cooperation between the governments and peoples of the two countries.

Pan said the year 2013 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia and the "China-Cambodia Friendship Year".

Chinese Embassy to Cambodia would organize an event to celebrate the anniversary in June, the ambassador said, extending an invitation to Heng Samrin to attend the ceremony.

Heng Samrin said he would join the event.

PHNOM PENH, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Japan agreed Tuesday to provide a loan package of 90 million U.S. dollars to Cambodia for the improvement of a stretch of the national road No. 5 and two bypasses in northwestern provinces, according to a statement from Japanese Embassy to Cambodia.

The agreement was inked between Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Yuji Kumamaru under the presence of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The statement said the loan would be used to widen a 47- kilometer stretch of the national road No. 5 between Battambang province and Sri Sophorn town of Banteay Meanchey province and to construct two bypasses in the two provinces.

The loan's interest rate is 0.01 percent per annum with the repayment period of 40 years including 10 years of grace period, it said.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Hor Namhong said the stretch of the national road No. 5 played an important role for both domestic and international road networks. "It is a section to connect Cambodia's Phnom Penh and Thailand' s Bangkok,"he said."The road will help boost trade and tourism activities between Cambodia and Thailand."

Yuji Kumamaru said Japan hoped that the project would contribute to the improvement of economic and social development of Cambodia and thus strengthen the friendly relations between the two nations.

Since 1992, Japanese loan and grant aid to Cambodia have amounted to about 2.1 billion U.S. dollars, according Japanese Embassy to Cambodia.

PHNOM PENH, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral trade between Cambodia and Thailand went down by 2.3 percent during the first quarter of this year, according to the statistics released by Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh on Monday.

Officials said the drop was due to"Thai baht appreciation, not ongoing border conflict"between the two nations.

During the January-March period this year, the two-way trade valued at 1.1 billion U.S. dollars, down 2.3 percent from 1.13 billion U.S. dollars at the same period last year, the data showed.

Cambodia's export to Thailand was 101 million U.S. dollars, up 19 percent, while Thailand's export to Cambodia was 1 billion U.S. dollars, down 4 percent, it said. "The slight decline is due to Thai baht appreciation. In the first quarter of last year, one U.S. dollar was equal to 32 baht, but in the first quarter of this year, one U.S. dollar was exchanged for 28 baht,"Jiranan Wongmongkol, director of Thai Embassy's foreign trade promotion office in Phnom Penh, told reporters Monday."The drop is not relevant to the simmering border conflict over the land of 4.6 square kilometers next to Preah Vihear Temple."

Thailand is the second largest trading partner of Cambodia. Last year, bilateral trade valued at 3.8 billion U.S. dollars, up 40 percent year-on-year.