Cambodia hopes to greet more Chinese tourists: Deputy PM

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An said Monday that the country hoped to greet more Chinese tourists in order to broaden tourism ties between the two countries.
At a meeting with new Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo, Sok An asked the ambassador to help encourage more Chinese tourists to Cambodia.
He thanked China for assisting Cambodia in cultural heritage conservation and development projects at the Angkor Archeological Park in northwestern Siem Reap province.
China is the third largest tourist arrival group to Cambodia, according to Cambodian Ministry of Tourism.
The country received 334,000 Chinese visitors in 2012, up 35 percent year-on-year, and during the first five months of this year, some 202,400 Chinese had came to Cambodia, up 53 percent compared with the same period last year.
In June, the Ministry of Tourism unveiled its 5-year strategic plan to attract at least 1.3 million Chinese visitors by 2018.
Under the plan, the country would prepare entry-exit application forms and announcements at airports in Chinese language, write signs on main roads in Chinese, conduct studies to establish China Towns and train more Chinese-speaking tour guides.
Meanwhile, Bu said that during her diplomatic mission, she would try her best to further enhance bilateral ties with Cambodia in all fields.
She said China would continue to support Cambodia in social and economic development.
She also expressed her congratulations to Sok An on the victory of the Cambodian People's Party in the general election on July 28.
Bu replaced ex-Ambassador Pan Guangxue, whose three-year diplomatic mission in Cambodia came to an end in June.
She presented her credentials to His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia, on July 19.

Sourced: Cambodia News