PHNOM PENH — Vietnamese businesses operating in Cambodia met with the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) on September 14 in Phnom Penh to discuss challenges and improve conditions for Vietnamese investment in the country.
The event was jointly organised by the CDC, the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, the Vietnamese Embassy’s Economic Office and Trade Office in Cambodia, and the Vietnam-Cambodia Business Association (VCBA).
Speaking at the event, Chea Vuthy, Secretary General of the Cambodia Investment Board under the CDC, highlighted the close ties between Vietnam and Cambodia and said the CDC was committed to supporting Vietnamese businesses expanding their investment in Cambodia.
Vietnamese businesses have invested more than US$3 billion in Cambodia, he said, adding that there remains considerable room for investment as the number and value of Vietnamese projects remain below potential.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyễn Minh Vũ said economic, trade, and investment cooperation is a focus of bilateral ties. Two-way trade reached a record $11.33 billion in 2025 and $8.67 billion in the first eight months of 2026, up 8.3 per cent year-on-year, according to Vietnamese statistics.
Việt Nam currently has 223 investment projects in Cambodia with total registered capital of nearly $3.4 billion. Vietnamese companies operate in agriculture, particularly large-scale farming, finance and banking, telecommunications, aviation, processing, trade and services.
They employ tens of thousands of local workers and contribute hundreds of millions of US dollars to Cambodia’s budget each year, while also supporting local social welfare programmes.
Vũ said investment cooperation still falls short of the potential of bilateral relations. He called on the CDC to provide Vietnamese businesses with more information on priority sectors, investment locations, economic zones, suitable land funds, incentives and projects seeking investment.
Chea Vuthy said Cambodia welcomes Vietnamese investors and is working to create a favourable investment environment through incentives, administrative reforms and simplified procedures.
VCBA Chairman Oknha Leng Rithy said Vietnamese businesses have increasingly shifted from exporting raw agricultural materials to Vietnam for processing to building factories and processing materials locally in Cambodia. This trend has helped reduce costs, improve competitiveness, and promote long-term partnerships with Cambodian businesses. — VNA/VNS
