Cambodia, Viet Nam push to deepen trade cooperation

Both sides agree to implement the high-level strategic orientations and agreements to enhance economic trade ties to reach the target of $20 billion soon.

Cambodia and Viet Nam held talks on Friday to boost bilateral trade and achieve the target of reaching $20 billion.

Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam Nguyen Minh Vu discussed various measures to accelerate border trade between the two countries at the Friendship Building of the Office of the Council of Ministers in Phnom Penh.

Describing the Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs’ visit to Cambodia as timely, Savoeun proposed to accelerate border cooperation between the two countries, following Cambodia’s hosting of the Cambodia-Viet Nam bilateral summit and the Cambodia-Viet Nam-Laos trilateral summit.

He noted that the leaders of the three countries expressed great satisfaction with the outcomes of the meetings and reaffirmed their joint commitment to strengthening solidarity and enhancing closer cooperation.

“Viet Nam has achieved remarkable economic growth of around 8 percent, both regionally and globally. Meanwhile, Cambodia has also recorded economic growth of about 5 percent. Therefore, Viet Nam’s development has positively contributed to Cambodia through the complementary nature of our two economies,” Savoeun said.

On his part, Vu expressed his gratitude to Deputy Prime Minister Savoeun for granting him and the Vietnamese delegation a courtesy call and working discussion.

The Vietnamese delegation included representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, national defence, agriculture, environment, and public security.

Vu affirmed that in line with the spirit of the recent joint statement during the state visit, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to further expanding good cooperation with Cambodia, particularly in border cooperation, with the aim of strengthening national economic growth and maintaining border security for both countries.

He added that by continuing to promote effective border cooperation, Cambodia-Viet Nam trade volume is expected to increase further.

The Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister proposed that Cambodia pay greater attention to advancing discussions on border management cooperation to contribute to border economic development for both countries and their peoples. He also called for stronger efforts to enhance trade relations in order to reach the target of $20 billion in bilateral trade in the near future.
He expressed hope that both sides would continue working closely together to boost economic growth and cross-border trade, thereby improving the livelihoods of the people of both nations.

In response, Savoeun expressed support for the Viet Nam Deputy Minister’s proposals and affirmed that he would coordinate with relevant ministries and institutions to enhance border cooperation and maintain security along the shared border.

According to the report of the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), bilateral trade between Cambodia and Viet Nam surged by 12 percent to $7,792 million in 2025, of which Cambodia exported $3,729 million worth of goods to the neighbouring country.

It may be recalled that last month, Senate President Hun Sen and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee To Lam pledged to strengthen economic connectivity, particularly in transport infrastructure, energy, digital transformation, and industrial and agricultural supply chains. They also agreed to expand cooperation in investment, trade, and tourism, while striving to raise bilateral trade volume to $20 billion in the coming years.

Source: Khmer Times