Cambodia and China signed off yesterday on a number of bilateral agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Visiting Chinese state councillor Yang Jiechi and Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong presided over the second meeting of the Cambodia-China Inter-Governmental Coordination Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Phnom Penh, where they witnessed the signing of the eight agreements, which ranged from health care, to education and defence.

“It was a long discussion, but we have had a fruitful result,” Namhong told reporters after the meeting. As well as millions of dollars in interest-free loans, China pledged 200 ambulances and 200 ultrasound machines, Namhong said.