Xinhua Asia Pacific News Summary at 1000GMT, March 30

Cambodia-China relations have achieved significant progress since the two countries forged a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in 2010, said a prominent Cambodian scholar.

Chheang Vannarith, chairman of the Cambodian Institute for Strategic Studies, made the remarks in an article published in the Khmer Times newspaper on Thursday. (Cambodia-China-Ties)

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KABUL -- Twenty-seven Taliban militants were killed after Afghan army's Special Forces launched an operation in the country's eastern province of Nangarhar, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

Gen. Dawlat Waziri said on his twitter account that the raid was launched in Pyrakhylo locality in Khogyani district Wednesday night and the Special Operation Forces also captured seven suspected militants during the raid. (Afghanistan-Taliban)

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WELLINGTON -- New Zealand's second major Internet cable to the outside world went live Thursday with the promise of better connectivity with Asia.

The Tasman Global Access (TGA) cable, a joint project by telecommunications firms Spark, Vodafone and Telstra, stretches 2,288 kilometers from Raglan, on the west of the North Island, to Sydney, Australia. (New Zealand-Internet)

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SINGAPORE -- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) need to develop strong digital capabilities and raise employees' skills in order to stay competitive, a Singaporean official said on Thursday.

At the Human Capital (Singapore) Thought Leadership Masterclass Series, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of Education Low Yen Ling said SMEs play a pivotal role in Singapore's development. (Singapore-Enterprises) Endit