The Wuxi-based Hodo Group donated 1 million face masks to Cambodia to help the country in its fight against COVID-19 during a donation event held in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, on March 28.

The donation event was attended by a number of government officials, including Huang Qin, Wuxi Party Secretary, and Tean Samnang, consul general of Cambodia in Shanghai.

"Cambodia offered strong support to China when it was hit hard by the virus," said Zhou Haijiang, CEO of Hodo Group. "After more than 60 days of hard work, China's fight against COVID-19 has seen significant progress, and now it's our turn to help Cambodia fight the epidemic."

Zhou added that with the help of the Cambodian government, Hodo Group has made great progress in developing its Cambodian Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ), which has strengthened cooperation between the two countries and provided a model for China-Cambodia cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The donation of 1 million masks by Hodo Group will help the country combat the outbreak and strengthen the friendship between the two countries," said Zhou.

Tean Samnang thanked the group for its support for the country's epidemic prevention and control efforts.

SSEZ, led by Hodo Group, is the largest export base in Cambodia, and is currently home to 174 enterprises. It provides nearly 30,000 jobs for Cambodians, according to Chen Jiangang, vice-chairman of the group.

Chen added that the group will continue to increase investment in the zone to bolster local employment, serve as a bridge between China and Cambodia, and contribute to building a community of a shared future for the two countries.