AKP Phnom Penh, February 07, 2021 --

Cambodia is proud of being a partner of China, underlined Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen.

While holding a press conference here at Phnom Penh International Airport this evening following the handover ceremony of China-donated COVID-19 vaccine to Cambodia, the Premier stressed that without the strong friendship between Cambodia and China, today there would have been no vaccine for the Cambodian people.

The donation is a fruitful result of both countries' good cooperation, he added.

The assistance was extended despite China's commitment to its own population of more than 1,000 million and its obligation to other countries.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen took the opportunity to express his gratitude to Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping, Premier H.E. Li Keqiang, Minister of National Defence H.E. Gen. Wei Fenghe and the People's Liberation Army for their precious donation to the Cambodian armed forces and people.

This afternoon, the first batch (600,000) of the one million doses of China-donated vaccine (Sinopharm) arrived in Phnom Penh.

Some 300,000 doses of the first batch are for the Ministry of Health and the rest 300,000 doses for the Ministry of National Defence.

The Ministry of Health has recently confirmed that Sinopharm can be administered only to people between the age of 18 and 59 years old.

To build more confidence on the COVID-19 vaccination programme, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, said the China-donated vaccine will be administered to senior civil and military leaders as well as his three sons and two sons-in-law.

Moreover, in a voice message shared this evening, the Prime Minister called on all senior government officials and municipal and provincial governors to get vaccinated to be a model for others.

By C. Nika