Cambodia is planning to increase its milled rice exports to China by 20 percent, Prime Minister Hun Manet said yesterday dismissing critics who are sceptical about the increasing bilateral trade ties between both nations.
The announcement was made yesterday during a meeting with 18,104 workers from 18 factories based in Bati district, Takeo province. The event was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers, ministers and senior officials representing all the ministries.
Prime Minister Hun Manet highlighted his China trip saying that he had fruitful discussions with Japan and ASEAN member countries to strengthen cooperation aimed at attracting investment and open trade opportunities with these countries. He also said that he would be meeting international investors and Cambodian investors during his scheduled visit to the United States on September 21.
The premier emphasised that trade relations with China have benefitted the Kingdom by getting many huge investment projects that created hundreds of thousands of jobs for locals and increased the country’s export value, especially in the agriculture sector. Besides trade projects, relations with Beijing have also opened gates for tourists, scholarships for Cambodian students and construction materials from China.
He went on to add that the potential of collaboration with China in terms of trade expansion, investment opportunities and exchange of education systems is huge.
Cambodia is not the only country that traded with China. In fact, there are many countries across the globe that depend on the country’s production including the United States, Europe and ASEAN member countries, he added.
Mr Hun Manet said President Xi Jinping has agreed to the proposal to increase Cambodia’s rice export by about 20 percent. He asked relevant institutions to study the possibility of exporting agricultural products to many cities in China, and not just focus on Beijing.
He asked the private sector, especially rice exporters to work in unison to boost rice exports and become more competitive compared to the neighbouring countries.
“Cambodia is a small country surrounded by big neighbouring countries. Therefore, we should unite and work together to guarantee the price, quality and quantity of the product or we will not win over the current economic challenges,” Mr Hun Manet said.
Before expanding exports, one must strengthen the internal process first, hence all the private sectors must work together and cooperate more closely with relevant government institutions, he said.
The premier asked Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to focus on producing agricultural products with quality standards as well as increasing the amount of crop production as the government is keen on the potential of rice export to many countries, especially to the cities in the provinces of China.
Source: Khmer Times
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<p>Time: 2024 By: Ministry of Industry and Trade</p>
