PHNOM PENH, Aug. 18 -- Cambodia and China on Monday signed an agreement toward establishing a Cambodia- China Technology Transfer Center, aiming to utilize science and technology for socio-economic development, officials said.

The deal was inked by Liu Jianhong, deputy director-general of Science and Technology Department of China's Guangxi province and permanent deputy chief of China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center, Cao Yun De, president of Cambodia International Cooperation Organization, and Ting Siny, chairman of Cambodia-ASEAN committee on Science and Technology, under the presence of Cham Prasidh, Cambodian Minister of Industry and Handicraft.

Liu said the establishment of the Cambodia-China Technology Transfer Center was made under the cooperation framework in science and technology between China and ASEAN.

"It is the first agreement that China signed with ASEAN member states since the establishment of the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center in Sept. 2013," he said.

"It is a new chapter of cooperation in science and technology between China and Cambodia."

Cham Prasidh expressed his full support for the formation of the center, saying that science and technology are the backbone of national development.

"Science and technology can boost national development, create jobs, and support the development of all sectors," he said.

Cao Yun De said that the center will be located in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

"I believe that the center will play an important role to strengthen and expand cooperation in science and technology between the two countries," he said.