PHNOM PENH, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian National Assembly Thursday unanimously approved the law on anti-human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

    "This law is one of the first steps of reforming the judicial and court system of the country," Ang Vong Vattana, Cambodian Minister of Justice, told the National Assembly after it approved the law.

    It also helped to strengthen the rule of law and reduce poverty in the kingdom, he said, adding that the law will be exercised strictly.

    Cambodia passed its old law on anti-human trafficking and sexual exploitation with 10 articles in 1996. The new law has 52 articles and contains more details than the previous one.

    According to the new law, relevant criminals could be sentenced to 20 years in jail and fined up to 2,500 U.S. dollars.

    Cambodians used to be trafficked to Thailand, China's Taiwan and Macao, Malaysia, South Korea, Nigeria and Somali for labor, sex and forced marriage.