Chinese Government donates construction machinery to Cambodian King's Working Group

On March 23, 2004, the governments of China and Cambodia signed an Exchange of Notes Agreement to provide a grant of 2 million RMB-worth of construction goods. The donated goods were to be provided to Cambodian King's Working Group, or Krom 'Samdech Euv' [literally mean the Father King] of King Sihanouk. Krom Samdech Euv is a poverty eradication programme. During Hun Sen's visit to China in 2004, Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen signed nine cooperation documents, including five exchanges of notes, three Memorandums of Understanding and an ETCA. On April 22, 2008, the Chinese Government handed over the batch of goods containing engineering machinery such as water drilling rigs, diesel water pumps, bulldozers, and large trucks to the Cambodia "King's Task Force” also known as “父王工作队” in Chinese. The task force will help to build houses in rural areas, repair roads, dig canals, and deliver disaster relief supplies with the purpose of rural development and poverty eradication. The material handover ceremony was held in the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh. King Norodom Sihamoni personally presided over the ceremony, Ambassador Zhang Jinfeng, Sun Weiren, Commercial Counsellor and other embassies and other major embassies and tribute Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Royal Palace Affairs and other Cambodian officials attended the ceremony. China will send technical personnel to guide the installation and commissioning ("西哈莫尼国王主持中国援助柬埔寨“父王工作队”物资交接仪式"). According to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since 1993, China has provided material assistance to the working group; supplies that had been donated include small batches of construction machinery, drilling rigs and agricultural supplies. The donation aims to assist the working group in its humanitarian activities in helping Cambodian poor people in the vast rural areas through digging ponds, building roads, constructing houses and so on. As of 2008, China has provided supplies worth 13 million RMB.

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