PHNOM PENH: Cambodia has asked the Vietnamese side to look into the possibility of expediting the process of amending the Cambodia-Vietnam Transit Agreement to include the international border gate between Men Chey (Prey Veng) and Ten Nam (Tai Ninh). Only the heads of government of both countries can officially open this international border.

H.E Sok Sopheak, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce, led a delegation from the Ministry of Commerce to meet with H.E Tran Quoc Khanh, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, and his colleagues at the Ministry's representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on the afternoon of March 6, 2023. Lawyers and Vietnamese business partners also attended the meeting.

The Secretary of State asked the Vietnamese side to consider accelerating the process of the Cambodia-Vietnam Transit Agreement to include the international border gate between Men Chey (Prey Veng) and Ten Nam (Tai Ninh).

The Deputy Minister stated that the Vietnamese side is conducting internal procedures, having already submitted the agreement text to the Vietnamese government for review, and expressed hope that the two sides would be able to complete their respective internal procedures soon.

The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce and Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs thanked each other for the opportunity to meet and discuss efforts to expand trade cooperation.

Although both countries were affected by Covid-19 and inflation, total trade increased by nearly 20% in 2022 compared to 2021.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and continuing to work together to promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation under the two countries' leadership to develop further that serves the best interests of the economies and their people.