Vietnam is Cambodia’s Third-Largest Export Market – Tuesday, 1.9.2009

“The representative of Vietnam in Cambodia said that Vietnam is Cambodia’s third-largest export market.

“The Vietnamese ambassador to Cambodia, Mr. Ngô Anh Dũng [Ngo Anh Dung], said at the CTN television Sunday round table discussion, broadcast on Sunday, 30 August 2009, ‘Vietnam is Cambodia’s third-largest export market among Vietnam’s commercial relations with many countries’ Mr. Ngo Anh Dung added, ‘Cambodia is the 16th largest importer of Vietnamese goods.’

“He went on to say, ‘So far, Vietnam has more than 100 companies and enterprises operating in Cambodia, and by now, there has been more than US$700 million investment in total.’ He added that the investment of more than US$700 million does not include some big projects.

“The ambassador to Cambodia continued to say that ‘Big projects are projects such as the creation of a fertilizer factory, joint venture business operations, the production of rice for export, agricultural product factories, the project to construct the Sesan 2 Hydro-Electric Dam in Stung Treng, and many other companies.’ He added that Cambodia has agricultural potential, and Vietnam has closely cooperated with Cambodia in rubber plantations.

“He said, ‘Vietnam plans to cooperate in the energy sector, and in exploring mineral resources, investing in telecommunications, and in other developments in all sectors’, adding that Cambodia and Vietnam are connected by roads so that transport by vehicles to exchange commercial goods is easy, and we have a waterway for transport on the Mekong River.

“Mr. Ngô Anh Dũng said, ‘Recently, Cambodia and Vietnam have inaugurated Cambodia Angkor Air with investment capital from Vietnam to promote tourism between both countries.’ He added, ‘There will soon be railroads from Sihanoukville to Ho Chi Minh City and to other countries in ASEAN.’

“Regarding the potential of tourism in Cambodia, like natural sites, ancient temples, and other places attracting tourists, Mr. Ngô Anh Dũng said, ‘Now people of both countries, of Cambodia and of Vietnam, cross the border without visas – they cross in and out easily. He added, ‘The number of Cambodian tourists to Vietnam has increased 88% in 2009.’

“The cooperation in economy and trade has increased to US$1.6 billion in 2008, and the Cambodian and Vietnamese Ministers of Foreign Affairs want to see the exchange in trade to be as much as US$2 billion in 2010.

“The head of the Vietnamese rubber enterprise federation office [in Cambodia], Mr. Leng Rithy, said on 30 August 2009, ‘The Vietnamese rubber enterprises signed a deal with both governments in 2006 to cooperate, as planed, with Cambodia. He added, ‘The Ministry of Agriculture provided more than 50,000 hectares of land to eight Vietnamese companies to grow rubber trees, and by now, within two years from 2007 to 2009, rubber trees have already been planted on 20,000 hectares.

“He went on to say, ‘In 2010, it is planned to plant trees on additionally 20,000 hectares more, and by 2015, rubber trees will have been planted on 100,000 hectares. Also, there is concern by some members of the National Assembly related to the land of 100,000 hectares leased to Vietnamese companies to plant rubber trees in Cambodia.

“A Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian from Kompong Cham, Mr. Mao Monyvann, talked to Deum Ampil via telephone on 31 August 2009, expressing his view, ‘The Cambodian government leased many hectares of land with long time leases of more than 90 years, creating concerns losing our Cambodian territory.’

“Mr. Mao Monyvann added, ‘Cambodia also has experts for rubber plantations, and if Cambodian companies were responsible for planting rubber trees, that would be great.’

“As for now, Mr. Ngô Anh Dũng said, ‘Vietnam has four goals for good cooperation with Cambodia: First, both countries should be good neighborings; second, build on our traditional friendship; third, the cooperation should extend to all sectors; and fourth, it should be long lasting.’

“He added, ‘Both countries have a joint border of more than 1,200 km, where Vietnam has 10 provinces and Cambodia has 9 provinces.

“A commerce official of the Vietnamese Embassy to Cambodia, Mr. Yim Kimhan, told a foreign press reporter, ‘Cambodia has potentials for Vietnam, and Cambodian people will turn to Vietnamese goods instead of Siamese [Thai] goods.’”

Posted in: Khmer News