Cambodia and China on Friday signed inspection and quarantine cooperation agreements to promote the cooperation and trade of the two countries on agriculture products, especially Cambodia's rice exports to China.

The agreements were signed by Chan Sarun, Cambodia's minister of agriculture, forests and fisheries and Zhi Shuping, minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) in the presence of Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Pan Guangxue.

The agreements signed on Friday include the memorandum of understanding on SPS cooperation in the field of animal and plant inspection and quarantine; the protocol of phytosanitary requirement for Cambodia milled rice export to China; and cooperation working plan of quarantine market access of tapioca chip from Cambodia to China.

Zhi said that the signing of the above cooperation documents symbolized the official establishment of the cooperation mechanism between the two countries and official open of Cambodia's rice which is qualified to export to China.

Chan Sarun valued highly of the signing of the related cooperation documents, saying that it will be sure to further strengthen the cooperation between China's AQSIQ and Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), promote the traditional friendly cooperation ties and bear more rich fruits.

Before the signing of the documents, Zhi Shuping and Chan Sarun co-chaired the meeting on SPS cooperation between the two countries. The two sides highly appreciated the cooperation and exchanges between the two countries in the field of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine, and outlined the key areas and action plan for future cooperation.

Moreover, the two sides reached a consensus on issues of strengthening the systematic cooperation between the two countries in animal and plant inspection and quarantine and food safety, the export approval of Cambodian rice and tapioca chips to China and the lifting of the ban on the export of Chinese dairy products to Cambodia.

In August, the Cambodian government announced that it had set 2015 as a year to show this nation's competence in becoming one of the major rice exporters to world's markets.

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday said that the rice agreement with China would help to cement the Kingdom's trading ties with the world's second-largest economy.

Hun Sen said by reaching the target and goal, it must start from first production of "rice surplus" at the reach of "more than 4 million tons" per year and at least one million tons of which will be allocated for export, while at the same time the rice must "meet an international standard".

He said, despite that Cambodia is rich and potential enough in rice production, the real yields are not satisfied compared to neighboring countries.

He acknowledged, one of the major blocks to large rice production in Cambodia is due to shortage of water.

About 80 percent of Cambodia's 14 million populations are farmers, and, last year, Cambodia produced more than 7 million tons of rice.

Zhi Shuping arrived here to pay a visit at the invitation of Chan Sarun. Besides attending the signing ceremony and the bilateral meeting, Zhi will also attend the Second ASEAN-China Ministerial Meeting on Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine to be held on Oct. 25 in Phnom Penh.