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Chinese-language newspaper of Cambodian marks 15th anniversary
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-17 17:10

PHNOM PENH -- The Commercial News, one of the three daily newspapers published in Chinese language in Cambodia, on Wednesday marked its 15th anniversary.

"In the past 15 years, the Commercial News has contributed a lot to highlighting the Cambodian government's policies and the development in various fields of the country," said Cambodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith in his congratulation letter for the longest-running Chinese-language newspaper of the kingdom.

"The paper has also helped its readers know better about the peaceful and stable situation of the country and played its role in attracting capital and businesspeople to the kingdom," he added.

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Jinfeng wrote a congratulation letter to the paper, too, saying that its reporters and editors have paid much attention to the friendly cooperation and exchange between the two countries and peoples of China and Cambodia.

"It has served as a window for the Chinese people in Cambodia to understand the kingdom and become a bridge to connect the peoples and enterprises of both countries," she added.

The Commercial News currently prints 3,000 to 5,000 copies each day, purportedly with better profit than its two competitors, namely the Jian Hua Daily and the Sin Chew Daily, each with 8 years of publication history.

Chinese-language newspapers first hit the Khmer market in the 1950s and reached 7 to 8 varieties in their peak times.

However, war, chaos and financial shortage have forced most of them to stop circulation in tandem.

The current trio of survivors are widely thought enough to serve the 700,000 or so Chinese-language readers of the country.