On the afternoon of December 16, Vice Minister of Commerce Ren Hongbin and Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia Sok Sopheak co-chaired the Sixth Meeting of the China-Cambodia Economic and Trade Cooperation Committee via video link, exchanging views and reaching broad consensus on such topics as deepening bilateral economic and trade cooperation in a frank and friendly manner.

Ren Hongbin said that under the strategic leadership and personal efforts of Chinese and Cambodian leaders, the economic and trade relations between the two countries have made great progress, and the cooperation on building the Belt and Road has been fruitful. From January to October this year, the trade volume between China and Cambodia reached USD10.98 billion, an increase of 45.9% year-on-year, hitting the target of USD10 billion in trade volume by 2023 set by the leaders of the two countries ahead of schedule. The construction of key infrastructure projects has been progressing steadily. China is willing to work with Cambodia to implement the China-Cambodia FTA and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, promote cooperation in infrastructure, production capacity, digital economy, green and low-carbon development, and push for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. China will expand imports from Cambodia, encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in Cambodia, promote e-commerce cooperation, and deepen regional and sub-regional cooperation. The government of China will work together with Cambodia to promote China-Cambodia and China-ASEAN economic and trade relations to a new level.

Sok Sopheak said that Cambodia attaches great importance to economic and trade relations between the two countries and will work with China to implement the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in earnest. He said that Cambodia is grateful for the great assistance China has provided to Cambodia in the fight against Covid-19. Cambodia supports and actively participates in the Belt and Road Initiative, hopes to further expand agricultural exports to China, welcomes Chinese enterprises to expand investment in Cambodia, and is willing to promote cooperation with China in infrastructure, e-commerce and other fields.

At the meeting, Vice Minister Ren Hongbin and Secretary General of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) Sok Chenda Sophea signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Investment and Economic Cooperation Working Group.

(All information published on this website is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only.)