Vietnam trade fair aims to boost ties

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/

Written by Kay Kimsong
Monday, 11 May 2009

VIETNAM'S An Giang province plans to host a six-day trade, tourism and investment fair to boost links with Cambodia, according to VNBusines News.

The fair is set to attract Cambodian companies and government officials to boost bilateral links, the report said.

An Giang authorities will encourage investment in infrastructure in the province that is seen as a major entry point to Vietnam, it said.

At the weeklong trade fair, stakeholders will also discuss the establishment of a commercial centre for Vietnamese goods in Phnom Penh, it said.

Vietnamese media said that authorities hope the commercial centre will support trade between the two countries.

The annual event is to be attended by 200 enterprises, and 500 booths, 30 of them Cambodian, reports said.

Ho Vandy, former head of the Cambodian Association Travel Agents (CATA) said he welcomed any effort to increase bilateral tourism co-operation and urged the Cambodian government to hold similar events.

"Cambodia and Vietnam are working together more effectively, and if the governments allows cars to travel freely between the two countries, tourism will increase," he said.

However, So Mara, secretary of state for the Tourism Ministry, said he was not aware that Cambodian enterprises had been invited to the fair, but that the government is working to promote Vietnam-Cambodia economic ties.