Ｅｖｅｒｌａｓｔｉｎｇ Ｃｈｉｎａ－Ｃａｍｂｏｄｉａ Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓｈｉｐ

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia， a delegation of the China-ASEAN Association (CAA) and the Chinese medical team of “China-Cambodia Friendship Bringing Light Tour” with Wu Tao， vice president of the CAA as the leader， paid a goodwill visit to Cambodia from November 24 to 29， 2008 at the invitation of the Cambodia China Friendship Association (CCFA). While in Cambodia， the delegation donated an electronic library valued at 80，000 US dollars to the Royal Academy of Cambodia and the medical team successfully carried out “China-Cambodia Friendship Bringing Light Tour” activity， giving free cataract surgery to about 100 Cambodian patients.

The delegation was accorded high courtesy: King Noro- dom Sihamoni met with all the members of the delegation; Acting Prime Minister Sok An attended the donation ceremony of the electronic library; Health Minister Mam Bun Heng was present at the conclusion ceremony of the “Bringing Light Tour”; Princess Norodom Buppha Devi， president of the CCFA， and Kao Kim Hourn， secretary of state of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation， met with and entertained the delegation on separate occasions; and Princess Buppha Devi presented certificate of gratitude to the Chinese organizations taking part in the “Bringing Light Tour”.

Strengthening Traditional Friendship

During its stay in Cambo- dia， the delegation had extensive contact with Cambodian friends of various circles through making courtesy calls， taking part in activities， holding working conferences， etc. CAA Vice President Wu Tao spoke highly of China-Cambodia friendship. He said: “2008 is an extraordinary year in China-Cambodia friendly relations. Five decades have passed since the two countries established diplomatic relations. China-Cambodia friendship which is taking root in the hearts of the people has become invaluable wealth treasured by the people of both countries. Whether in the past， at present or in the future， the Chinese people were， are and will always be good neighbours， friends and partners of the Cambodian people.” When meeting with the delegation， King Norodom Sihamoni thanked the Chinese Government for providing excellent full medical services to the King Father and the Queen Mother over the years and highly praised the important role played by the CAA in promoting people-to-people friendship between the two countries. He expressed the belief that with the joint efforts made by the nongovernmental forces of both countries， Cambodia-China friendship would last forever. Kao Kim Hourn， secretary of state of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation， met with the delegation on behalf of Foreign Minister Hor Namhong. He paid high tribute to the achievements of China’s reform and opening up at the meeting， saying that in recent years China’s comprehensive national strength has been continuously increased and its international standing raised. He extended congratulations on China’s successes in holding the Beijing Olympic Games and its manned space flight by Shenzhou VII. He stressed， the past 50 years witnessed sound Cambodia-China relations which have become increasingly closer in recent years. Cambodia always adheres to the one China stand， and supports China’s position on the South China Sea issue and its development.

Cataract Surgery Given by First Chinese Medical Team in Cambodia

“China-Cambodia Friendship Bringing Light Tour” has enabled the Chinese medial team to perform cataract operations for the first time in Cambodia. Organized and sent by the CPAFFC， the medical team consisting of the country’s best ophthalmologists and led by Han Demin and Wang Ningli， president and vice president of Tongren Hospital in Beijing came to Cambodia with the first-class technique and the most advanced medical equipment to give free cataract surgery to poor patients there. Eighty-five percent of the patients were above 60 years of age， the oldest being 94， while the youngest was 37. The Chinese doctors， overcoming various difficulties and assisted by Cambodian medical personnel， successfully performed operations on about 100 patients， which has fully demonstrated the high medical ethics and the excellent expertise of the Chinese doctors and received favourable comments from various quarters of Cambodia.

At his meeting with the delegation， King Norodom Sihamoni highly praised the consummate medical skills and exemplary medical ethics of the Chinese medical team， and thanked the CAA for the unremitting efforts it had made to bring sight back to the Cambodian cataract patients. Cambodian Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said at the “Bringing Light Tour” conclusion ceremony that the tour was of great significance. It is a major activity in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic ties， showing that Cambodia and China have always been good brothers and partners， and will remain so in the future. What’s more important is that it has brought light to the Cambodian patients and enabled them to experience the friendship from the Chinese people.

Donating an Electronic Library

On November 15， the CAA delegation donated an electronic library to the Royal Academy of Cambodia. It was the first such library in Cambodia and contributed to the country’s efforts to modernize education. Acting Prime Minister Sok An made a warm speech at the donation ceremony. He said: “The donation of the electronic library to the Royal Academy of Cambodia by the China-ASEAN Association is one of the many China-aid programmes to Cambodia. In the information age， the birth of this electronic library is of extraordinary significance to Cambodia. To be equipped with this library means that Cambodia has acquired an inexhaustible source of information. Through the electronic library， the teachers and students can learn about the most advanced scientific and technological achievements of the world， and the latest information and hot topics， which will enable Cambodia to better adapt to the world.” Prof. Sorn Samnang， president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia， acclaimed the electronic library as the most precious gift given by the Chinese people to the Cambodian people on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Exchanges and Cooperation Enhanced

The facts that CCFA President Princess Norodom Buppha Devi attended the activities of the delegation several times and went to the airport to see off the delegation， that CCFA Vice President Tep Ngorn who is second vice president of the Senate and chief of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People’s Party greeted the delegation on its arrival in Cambodia at the airport， and that CCFA Secretary General Hor Sothoun who is the secretary general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation personally arranged the itinerary for the delegation showed the importance the CCFA attached to the delegation’s visit. At the meeting between the presidents of the CAA and CCFA， the Cambo- dian side accepted the invitation to visit China in 2009 to further enhance exchanges and cooperation between the two organizations. At the working meeting between the secretaries general of the two organizations， CAA Secretary General Zhu Dan briefed her Cambodian counterpart on the various multilateral and bilateral activities carried out by the CAA since its inception four years ago， and expressed the hope to push the cooperation between the two organizations to a higher level through the present visit and do more practical work for the lasting friendship between China and Cambodia. CCFA Secretary General Hor Sothoun said that he was busy mostly with government work and that because of the importance of the delegation， he took part in the arrangement of its itinerary， from which he gained a deeper understanding of the importance of people-to-people diplomacy.