China, Cambodia to further strengthen exchange and cooperation in press

PHNOM PENH, A senior Cambodian press official Monday met with a visiting Chinese press delegation and held talks over further enhancing exchange and cooperation of the press between the two countries.

Svay Sitha, secretary of state of the Office of the Council of Ministers and also the head of the Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the office, briefed the delegation, led by Secretary of the All-China Journalist Association Zhu Shouchen, about the press situation in Cambodia, and the role and duty of his Unit, which was established on June 22, 2009.

He said that the Unit has been well cooperated with all the government's institutions and responded to the national and international media on time pertaining to a certain question upon their requests.

"This has brought attention for the general public both inside and outside the country to warded our Unit's work to serve the interest of the public as a whole about the factual situation in the country," Svay Sitha said.

The Unit sends every two-day report of the key relevant news of national and international to the Prime Minister Hun Sen and Sok An, deputy prime minister and minister of Council of Ministers.

On his part, Zhu Shouchen said that the main purpose of his visit to Cambodia is to exchange views as well as enhancing the bilateral cooperation with the Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the Office of the Council of Ministers.

"As Your Excellency (Svay Sitha) is aware that the relations between Cambodia and China has been very good, at the same time our cooperation in the field of press and communication also plays a key role in contributing the improving of the two countries ties," Zhu said during the talks, also attended by Cambodia's senior officials and Chinese diplomats.

Cambodia, since the UN-sponsored election in 1993, has 369 newspapers, 154 magazines with the population of 13.5 million.

The six-member Chinese press delegation arrived here on Sunday to pay three-day visit.