The government on Monday provided Cambodia with goods and materials worth of more than 81.8 million yuan (about US$10.1 million) to help the country improve its infrastructure.

Attending the hand-over ceremony were Cambodian Minister of Public Works and Transportation Sun Chan Thol and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Hu Qianwen, and other government officials.

The donated goods and materials were 1,500 extension meters of ZB200 beret steel bridges, four bulldozers, four graders, six road rollers, one vibratory road roller and their spare parts.

Sun thanked the Chinese government for its grand and persist assistance to Cambodia, saying the aid once again reflects the friendship and cooperative ties between Cambodia and China.

"The assistance will greatly help Cambodia's economic and social development, as well as the implementation of poverty reduction strategy of the royal government in order to bridge the development gap to our neighboring countries," he said.

Since 2002, the government has donated 3,500 extension meters of beret steel bridges to Cambodia.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in March named a steel bridge assisted by China as "Cambodia and China Friendship Bridge."

(Xinhua News Agency August 23, 2005)