Grand inauguration ceremony held for Cambodia's new gov't office building donated by China

via CAAI

October 19, 2010

It was a sunny day and it is also the special day for the history of traditional friendship between China and Cambodia.

In the morning of Oct. 19, the new office building of the Council of Ministers, donated by China and officially named by Prime Minister Hun Sen as "the Friendship Building", is formally inaugurated in a grand ceremony.

The adjacent Prime Minister Hun Sen's large new office building was also inaugurated in the same ceremony and dubbed the "Peace Building."

In compound of the new site of the Council of Ministers, the national flags of China and Cambodia are waving in the air. Over 1, 000 people holding China and Cambodian national flags in their hands lined on the roads to welcome King and other distinguished guests.

At 8:30 am Tuesday morning, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni arrived at the ceremony site. He presided over the inaugural ceremony and cut the ribbon together with Prime Minister Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue to mark the official opening of the new government office building.

The National Assembly President Heng Samrim, Minister of Council of Ministers Sok An and other senior government officials, as well as some diplomats and lots of people from all walks of life attended the ceremony.

King Father Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Mother Norodom Monineat Sihanouk who were now in Beijing, China, have also extended their congratulation to this inauguration ceremony.

The inauguration was preceded by a religious ceremony at which monks were pressing the new office. Khmer girls in their traditional costumes performed traditional Khmer dancer "blessing dance".

In his passionate speech, Prime Minister Hun Sen valued highly of the building donated by Chinese government saying that the 7- story building with 40 meters high was first initiated and achieved through the visit of Wu Yi, then deputy prime minister of the People's Republic of China in March 2004.

He said during Wu Yi's visit, she was sympathetic with the ruined old government's building which was built in 1960s and suggested her government to support this new building.

Source: Xinhua