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China praises Cambodia’s
Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the Office of the Council of
Ministers

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 7, 2009: Chinese press delegation, met with
the Cambodia’s head of the unit on Monday, said that his group
was impressed by the Unit’s activities of keeping the
government’s leaders informed about the national and
international news as well as providing the freedom of press and
expression.
Zhu Shouchen, Secretary of All-China Journalist Association, who
led the seven member delegation met, with His Excellency Svay
Sitha, Secretary of State of the Office of the Council of
Ministers and also the head of the Press and Quick Reaction Unit
of the Office of the Council of Ministers, which has been
established on June 22, 2009.
After briefing made by His Excellency Svay Sitha about the role
and duty of the Unit, Mr. Shu Shouchen, whose group are eager to
learn what is the different between the ministry of information
and the Unit, responded that the Unit’s responsibility was more
than he expected.
“I now understand that your Excellency Unit’s operation is very
important, especially this Unit provides all the key
informations to the Prime Minister Hun Sen,” Zhu Shouchen said
during the meeting, which was held at the Office of the Council
of Ministers, also attended by Cambodia’s senior officials and
Chinese diplomat.
The Unit sends every two-day report of the key relevant news of
national and international to the Prime Minister Hun Sen and the
Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Sok An.
Zhu Shouchen also said that the main purpose of his visit to
Cambodia is to exchange views as well as enhancing the bilateral
cooperation with the Press and Quick Reaction Unit of the Office
of the Council of Ministers.
“As Your Excellency (Svay Sitha) aware that the relations
between Cambodia and China have been very good, at the same time
our cooperation in the field of press and communication which
also plays a key role in contributing the improving of the two
countries ties,” Zhu Shouchen said during the talks.
His Excellency Svay Sitha also told the delegation that the Unit
has been well cooperated with all the government’s institutions
and responded to the national and international media on time
pertaining to certain questions upon their requests.
“This has brought attention for the general public both inside
and outside the country to warded our Unit’s work to serve the
interest of the public as a whole about the factual situation in
the country,” Svay Sitha told the delegation, who were listening
attentively.
The Press and Quick Reaction Unit, which joined by three
departments: Press, Communication and Central, operated by 70
enthusiastic staff, said Svay Sitha.
“The role of our Unit has become more important as it goes “from
day to day.”
“We have been doing our best, but to reach a certain level of
satisfactory it requires more times, and resources including
materials, finance as well as human capacity.
Svay Sitha also told the group that Cambodia has been a “heaven”
for not only the media, but also the non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). Cambodia since the UN-sponsored election
in 1993 has 369 newspapers, 154 magazines and nearly 3,000 NGOs
have been freely operated in the country of 13.5 million
population.
“Some newspapers and NGOs are ghost newspapers and NGOs,
meaning they have license but no operation,” he stressed.

(Press and Quick
Reaction Unit of the Office of the Council of Ministers)
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