Speaking at the Vietnam-Cambodia Business Forum on September 22 in Cambodia, the ambassador said Vietnam is one of Cambodia’s leading economic partners with two-way trade reaching US$3.4 billion in 2015.

Vietnam is running 182 projects with a total registered capital of US$2.85 billion in Cambodia, he said, adding Vietnam has the largest number of tourists in the neighbouring country with 988,000.

The diplomat asked businesses to seriously and fully abide by regulations and laws of the respective countries.Chea Vuthy, Vice Secretary General of the Council for Development of Cambodia, briefed the participants on Cambodia’s investment climate and policies, saying the country’s economy grows 7 percent annually.

He said Vietnam ranks fifth among countries investing in Cambodia, after China, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Malaysia, with the most noteworthy projects focusing on agriculture and industry, valued at US$958 million.

The official applauded Vietnamese businesses’ contributions to his country’s socio-economic development as well as economic cooperation between the two countries.

Hor Siv Yong from the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce said Vietnam is Cambodia’s largest trade partner. The two countries aim to raise the bilateral trade to US$5 billion in 2017.