China pledges to help boost Cambodia's rural economy
China's vice premier, Wu Yi, has pledged during a four-day visit to Cambodia that Beijing will help Phnom Penh develop its rural economy.
Cambodian officials say Ms Wu, who is due to sign an array of bilateral economic and aid agreements, made the pledge during a meeting with her Cambodian counterpart, Sar Kheng.
She says Cambodia has good natural resources and the agricultural sector must be developed.
Ms Wu says she will recommend to Chinese companies that they provide assistance to Cambodia's agricultural sector.
Her visit is part of a regional swing that has already taken in Laos and will include Burma and the Maldives.
http://www.goasiapacific.com/news/GoAsiaPa...BNA_1071586.htm
India helps Cambodia restore ancient temple
India is helping Cambodia restore the 12th century sandstone temple of Ta Prohm in the Angkor region.
Ta Prohm, which was consecrated in 1186 and has been home to more than 2,700 monks, was rediscovered in the 19th century.
The chief of the Indian restoration team, KT Narasimhan, is quoted as saying it will take a decade to complete the project.
He says owing to weather conditions, the work can be only be carried out between November and April.
However, Mr Narasimhan says the work is made easier because Ta Prohm is similar to one of India's largest Hindu temples, the Lord Ranganathaswamy temple in the southern state of Karnataka.
India has agreed to provide about $US5 million along with technical know-how and material for the restoration.
http://www.goasiapacific.com/news/GoAsiaPa...BNA_1071065.htm