The Chinese Embassy on Wednesday donated 140 tons of rice to the Cambodian Red Cross, part of which will be given to people in Kompong Thom province.
Chinese Ambassador Yan Ting Ai personally gave 100 tons plus another 40 tons from the embassy to Cambodian Red Cross President Bun Rany Hun Sen at a ceremony Wednesday morning.
In June, the embassy gave 15 tons of rice for Khmer Rouge defectors in Anlong Veng.
Rice shortages in several provinces have been reported as dry spells and pest infestations have left thousands of hectares of paddies damaged or destroyed.
The donation follows warnings from the World Food Program that malnutrition and hunger are reaching severe levels. A recent WFP survey showed 49 percent of children under age 5 are stunted by lack of food.
But Agriculture Ministry Agronomy Department Director Ith Nody said serious rice shortages are not widespread.
Red Cross officials are to distribute some of the rice in Kompong Thom province today, said Red Cross officials.
