A group of Cambodian military officials left Monday for China to strengthen ties between the two countries and to follow up on a pledge of $1.5 million in military aid, a senior Defense Ministry general said Monday.
RCAF Commander-in-Chief Ke Kim Yan and deputy commanders Khann Savoeun and Meas Sophea are part of the 12-member delegation that will meet with Chinese defense officials, including Fu Quanyou, chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army.
The delegation, which also includes Air Force Commander Soeung Samnang and Navy Commander Ung Samkhan, will travel to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou before returning to Cambodia on Oct 22, the general said.
The trip follows an agreement that was made in March during a visit to China by Defense co-Ministers Tea Banh and Prince Sisowath Sirirath.
In the deal, China agreed to give $1.5 million worth of military equipment to RCAF and ship it to Cambodia. Details on what kinds of goods and equipment have yet to be determined, and no time frame is outlined in the document. “The trip is meant to strengthen cooperation between the two armed forces,” the defense official said.
