According to Cambodian media, China will set up a joint working group with Cambodia to formulate a plan for Cambodia's agricultural modernization. At the same time, Cambodia hopes that China will speed up the protocol negotiations on product quarantine and allow the direct export of Cambodian cubilose, durian and pepper to China early.
 
On the morning of August 18, Zhang Lubiao, director of the Center for Foreign Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, met with Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Veng Sakhon.
 
Zhang said the visit aims to strengthen and expand agricultural cooperation between China and Cambodia, especially to help Cambodia formulate a general plan for agricultural modernization. China has set up a national-level team of competent and experienced experts to make plans.
 
Veng Sakhon spoke highly of the achievements of China-Cambodia agricultural cooperation and expressed gratitude for China's long-term support. He mentioned that Cambodia's longan will soon be exported to China. He hoped China would speed up negotiations on the quarantine protocol so that cubilose , durian and pepper could be exported directly to China early.
 
Veng Sakhon told the media that Ministries of the two countries had signed an agreement as early as January 11, 2018, to develop a plan for the modernization of Cambodia's agriculture. Discussions on the development plan began on Aug. 13, but were postponed due to the pandemic and the contract between Henan University of Technology and Citic Construction Co., Ltd. was terminated. It is learnt that the first group of experts sent by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China to aid Cambodia's agricultural development planning project has arrived in Phnom Penh. The team will work in Cambodia for 60 days, discussing with local agricultural authorities and investigating related provinces. China and Cambodia agreed to translate their policies into actions in the future, and the Chinese government will provide financial support.
 
The two sides agreed to set up a joint working group to jointly formulate a general plan for Cambodia's agricultural modernization, focusing on rice, corn, rubber, cassava, banana, mango, cashew, meat and aquatic product. The general plan will focus on connecting producers, private enterprises and markets to strengthen the quality, safety and standards of cultivation, processing and packaging to meet the needs of consumers inside and outside Cambodia.