By Mao Pengfei
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 20 -- A new batch of minesweeping equipment donated by China to Cambodia arrived in Phnom Penh on January 19, 2021. Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian and first Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) Ly Thuch attended the handover ceremony.
Wang said that China and Cambodia are part of a community of shared future with strategic significance. China has always been concerned about Cambodia's minesweeping cause and the safety of the Cambodian people, and committed to providing minesweeping assistance to Cambodia through material donations and personnel training. Wang hopes that the aid supplies could help Cambodia speed up minesweeping work and achieve the goal of eliminating all types of mines and explosive remnants of war by 2025.
Ly Thuch introduced the latest situation of Cambodia's minesweeping work. He extended his profound gratitude to China for providing the assistance and said that the Chinese friends had made important contributions to Cambodia's mine clearance. Cambodian agencies will make full use of those aid materials to achieve the goal as planned.
Cambodia is one of the most landmine-affected countries in the world. Since 1999, China has provided minesweeping assistance to Cambodia many times through training, donating funds, providing equipment, and sending experts for on-site instructions. This time, the donation includes pick-up trucks, drones, landmine detectors, and demining personal protective equipment, with a total value of eight million yuan (nearly $1.2 million).