Cambodia's Senate President Samdech Say Chhum cuts the ribbon during the inauguration ceremony of a China-funded Senate building at the Senate in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Jan. 20, 2017. The Senate of Cambodia on Friday inaugurated its eighth office building, which was developed under China's aid, officials said. (Xinhua/Sovannara)
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Senate of Cambodia on Friday inaugurated its eighth office building, which was developed under China's grant aid, officials said.
Senate president Samdech Say Chhum and Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Xiong Bo jointly unveiled the three-storey building, which cost 22 million yuan (3.34 million U.S. dollars).
Say Chhum expressed his gratitude to the National People's Congress, government and people of China for their generous support to Cambodia for the development in all fields.
"The people of Cambodia are very satisfied with the excellent relations and fruitful cooperation between Cambodia and China," he said. "The people of Cambodia will continue to further enhance our bilateral ties and cooperation for mutual benefits."
The Senate president also reiterated Cambodia's staunch support for the one-China policy, saying that China played a more important role in maintaining peace, stability and development in the region and in the world.
Xiong said the new building was constructed by the Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Group in the period of one year.
"I'm confident that the Khmer-style building will be the symbol of traditional friendship between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Cambodia," he said.
Meanwhile, Xiong highly valued good relations and fruitful cooperation between the two countries in the past year, saying that the exchange of top visits between Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Chinese President Xi Jinping had added a new momentum to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between the two countries.
According to Senate's secretary general Om Sarith, since its establishment in 1999, the Cambodian Senate had received 14 times of grant aid in the total amount of 16 million U.S. dollars from the government of China.
He said the aid included eight office buildings for Senate's staff and leaders, office supplies and equipment, and vehicles.
