PHNOM PENH, May 22 -- Twenty-two Chinese higher education institutions jointly held a one-day education exhibition here on Thursday with an aim to boost education cooperation between China and Cambodia and to attract more Cambodian students to study in China.

The 2nd edition of China Higher Education Exhibition is held at the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia. Among the exhibitors are Peking University, University of International Business and Economics, Jiangxi Jiujiang University, Shanghai University of Sport, and Donghua University.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Cabinet Minister Sok An said the exhibition was very important to enhance the quality and efficiency of human resources development in Cambodia.

"I fully support this exhibition in Cambodia," he said. "It will not only encourage more Cambodian students to study in China, but also contribute to promoting cooperation in education sector between Cambodia and China."

He also expressed profound thanks to China for providing scholarships to Cambodian students every year.

Li Zhigong, political counselor at the Chinese Embassy to Cambodia, said both China and Cambodia have paid high attention to develop education sector and the exhibition will further promote education cooperation between the two countries.

"Relations and cooperation between China and Cambodia are excellent and a lot of Chinese business people are doing businesses in Cambodia, so I think that Cambodia definitely needs human resources, especially in Chinese language," he said.

"On this occasion, I'd like to encourage Cambodian students to choose Chinese universities for their higher education for a better future."

He said it is estimated that about 1,400 Cambodian students are studying in China.

The fair is organized by China Scholarship Council in cooperation with the Confucius Institute in Cambodia and a local Asia-Euro University.

Liu Jinghui, secretary general of China Scholarship Council, said the exhibition was to promote the quality of Chinese higher education and to attract more Cambodian students to study in China.

"It is a good chance for Cambodian students to learn about Chinese higher education system and to explore possibilities to study in China," she said.

Loeung Samnang, a student at Asia-Euro University, said she is keen to study in China when she graduates with a bachelor's degree in Cambodia.

"This exhibition gives me a chance to seek scholarships to study in China," she said. "Some of my friends have studied in China and when they come back, they have been offered lucrative jobs."