China-funded university launched in East Cambodia

China-funded University of Kracheh was inaugurated here on Wednesday.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Xiong Bo jointly unveiled the university, which costs 12 million U.S. dollars in which 10 million dollars were the grant from the Chinese government and the rest were the fund from the Kratie Foundation for Higher Education Organization.

Hun Sen said the state-owned University of Kracheh would be a treasure trove of knowledge for students in Kratie province and in its neighboring provinces.

"This is a very important part of the development of human resources in Cambodia," he said during the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by some 10,000 government officials, local residents, teachers and students.

"It is a new pride of Cambodia under the roof of peace that we had earned difficultly," he added.

Hun Sen expressed his heartfelt and sincere thanks to China for providing the grant for the construction of the university, which would greatly contribute to the development of human resources in Cambodia.

Meanwhile, the prime minister reiterated that Chinese investors and tourists had importantly contributed to the socio-economic development and poverty reduction in Cambodia.

Cambodian Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hang Chuon Naron said the establishment of the University of Kracheh went in line with the long-term vision of Hun Sen, who is committed to building "one state university in one province."

Built on the parcel of 99 hectares in the Kratie town, the university consists of classes, offices, conference halls, libraries, laboratories, and cafeterias, he said.

The minister said the university is comprised of three faculties -- agronomy, agro-industry and rural talent, and two institutes of fishery study, and foreign languages and information technology.

The Southeast Asian nation has 121 higher education institutions by the end of 2017, including 44 state-owned higher education institutions, with a total of about 207,400 students, according to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.