China provides agricultural engines to Cambodia

China's Yunnan province on Monday provided 200 agricultural engines to Cambodia's northwestern Banteay Meanchey province for post-flood rehabilitation.

A handover ceremony was held here between Yu Dingcheng, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial People 's Congress, and Oung Oeun, chief of the ruling Cambodian People' s Party to Banteay Meanchey province.

Yu said the people of Yunnan province hoped that the donation would help relieve difficulties of farmers in Banteay Meanchey province after their rice paddy and other crops were destroyed by recent floods.

Yunnan established friendship relationship with Banteay Meanchey in Dec. 2011. Since then, the two provinces have constantly strengthened cooperation in agriculture, tourism, education, culture, and infrastructure development.

"We hope that closer ties between our two provinces will partly contribute to further strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Cambodia," he said at the handover ceremony.

Oung Oeun said Banteay Meanchey was the province that was worst hit by recent floods and thousands of rice paddy and other crops were destroyed.

"The donation of agricultural machines is timely for post- flood rehabilitation," he said. "This assistance truly shows the generosity and attention of the Chinese people to Cambodia."

The Mekong River floods hit Cambodia between August and October, killing at least 168 people and affecting 1.7 million others. It was estimated that the floods cost about 1 billion U.S. dollars in damage.