Hun Sen praises China for building hydropower plants in Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen praised China on Monday for building hydropower plants in his country.

Making speech during his visit to a 193-megawatt hydropower plant project being built in Kampot province, Hun Sen said "China is building batteries for Cambodia."

Hun Sen said China is well-known in building hydropower not only in China, but also in some African countries and in Cambodia in particular.

The already half-way completion of 193-megawatt hydropower plant being built in Kampot province, 150 kilometers southwest of Phnom Penh--is invested by Sinohydro Corporation from China.

Sinohydro Corporation is building five hydropower plants in the area and once they are to be completed in 2011, they will generate193 megawatts of power.

The power will not only be used in Kampot province, but also to be supplied to Phnom Penh residents.

Besides the above project, at least four more hydropower plants in two provinces of Pursat and Koh Kong will be built by Chinese companies.

So far, two hydropower plants located in Kirirom mountain area, about 120 kilometers west of Phnom Penh --also built by a Chinese company are already put for operation and are producing 30 megawatts.

Hun Sen also said Monday that while Cambodia is still short of power supplies, the government has been spending about 20 million U.S. dollars per year as a subsidy to keep the price of electricity stable despite the higher price of the oil in global markets.　

Source:Xinhua Read more!

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.
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Cambodia reports 480 cases of A(H1N1) flu, 5 die

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 7 — The Cambodian government said on Monday that the total of influenza A(H1N1) disease in the country has reached 480 cases with five deaths.

Ly Sovann, deputy director of the communicable disease control department of Ministry of Health said that as of today, five Cambodians have died of A(H1N1) flu disease and the total cases reach at 480.

In October, the government announced that four peopled died of the disease and 237 cases were confirmed.

The infected cases are from 13 out of the country's 24 provinces and cities across the country.

Cambodia's Ministry of Health and WHO have continued their efforts in advising people around the country to protect themselves and the families, by saying each individual should cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and dispose of tissue in a bin; wash hands regularly with soap and hot water; do not spit in public; and avoid close contact with sick people.

They also advised that for immediate treatment of the disease, the sick person shall drink lots of liquids; rest and paracetamol to reduce fever and muscle aches. (PNA/Xinhua) Read more!