Cambodian and Chinese senior officials agreed on Thursday to further strengthen friendship and cooperation relations to bring more benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

The common view was reached when visiting Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu held talks with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Office of the Council of Ministers Sok An on Thursday.

During the meeting, Hui highly valued the relations between China and Cambodia, saying that China and Cambodia "are good neighbors, good friends and good partners." He said that the bilateral relations between China and Cambodia "serve as a model for state-to-state relations."

In recent years, the bilateral relations have maintained sound development momentum, Hui said, adding that China and Cambodia have kept close high-level exchanges, deepened economic and trade cooperation and maintained close coordination and cooperation on major international and regional affairs.

Moreover, Hui emphasized that the Chinese side attaches great importance to the Cambodian relations and is willing to make joint efforts with Cambodia to carry forward traditional friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and enrich bilateral comprehensive cooperative partnership in order to promote such relations to a new higher and depth level.

Sok An fully agreed with Hui's positive evaluation of Sino- Cambodian relations. He thanked China for its long-term support and assistance to Cambodia's economic and social development, saying "Cambodia is willing to work with China to strengthen the cooperation and exchanges in various fields in an effort to promote bilateral relations to a higher level."

During the meeting, the two sides have an in-depth exchange of views on cooperation in agriculture, tourism, telecommunications, disaster prevention and reduction, and reached broad consensus.

The two sides also agreed to work together to smoothly implement and promote the cooperation projects, and actively explore new cooperation fields and mutual benefit and win-win cooperation model so as to bring greater benefits to the people in both countries.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Hui Liangyu held talks with Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly. After the meeting. Hui, together with Sok An and Yim Chhay Ly, attended the signing ceremony of agriculture, communications cooperation agreements.

Hui Liangyu will also have a meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen on Thursday afternoon.

Hui, arrived in Phnom Penh on Wednesday, began his three-day official visit at the invitation of Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Office of the Council of Ministers Sok An.

Cambodia is the first leg of Hui's five-nation visit which will also take him to the Laos, Palestine, Israel and India.