PHNOM PENH: H.E. Sok Chenda Sophea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, warmly welcomed Canadian companies and encouraged the Canadian side to increase investment in Cambodia in order to further enhance bilateral trade relations.

The Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister made the encouragement while receiving here on Oct. 25 a courtesy call by H.E. Ms. Ping M. Kitnikone, newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the Kingdom of Cambodia with residence in Bangkok, according to a news release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

H.E. Sok Chenda Sophea also emphasized the importance of convening the first Bilateral Consultations between the two Foreign Ministries in the near future.

During the call, H.E. Deputy Prime Minister and H.E. Ms. Ambassador expressed deep satisfaction with the long-standing relations and fruitful cooperation over the years, ranging from trade and investment, capacity building, and tourism, to demining and peacekeeping operations.

Moreover, both sides affirmed their readiness to work closely together to further strengthen cooperation for the two countries' common interests within bilateral and multilateral frameworks.