China says aid to Cambodia without political strings attached

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that China's assistance to Cambodia has no political strings attached.

Lu Kang made the remarks to refute a report by the Associated Press.

According to the AP, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has announced that China will give his government nearly 600 million U.S. dollars in aid to support the country's election, infrastructure, education and health.

"In return, Cambodia supports China in international forums, including in Beijing's ongoing dispute with other Southeast Asian countries in the South China sea," said the AP.

Lu said China hopes relevant sides will not view China's aid to Cambodia through tinted glasses and hype up the event.

As developing countries, China and Cambodia are close neighbors and strategic cooperative partners, with long-term sincere cooperation and mutual support, he said.

In recent years, China has provided assistance and financial support to Cambodia within its capacity to help the country accelerate development and improve people's livelihood, said Lu.

The aid has mainly been used for social projects in areas such as health care, agriculture, water conservation, culture and education, which have been welcomed by the Cambodian people, he added.

(APD)