The 5 th Vietnam-Cambodia Border Trade Development CooperationConference was held in Kongpong Cham province, Cambodia , on Nov. 28.

Co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry ofIndustry and Trade (MIT) and the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, theconference drew the participation of 250 officials and businesspeoplefrom Vietnamese and Cambodian border provinces.

According to reports, two-way trade between Vietnam and Cambodiaincreased from 372 million USD in 2001 to nearly 2 billion USD in 2010.The figure is expected to surpass 2 billion USD this year and reach 3billion USD in 2015.

Participants at theconference said that border trade activities between the two sides haveseen many advantages, with expanded markets, simplified administrativeprocedures, improved infrastructure and effective smuggling prevention.

However, they stressed the need to build across-border trade legal framework between the two countries, furtherimprove transport infrastructure and border gates; develop payment,transport, post and telecom services, as well as strengthen coordinationin smuggling prevention.

The conference agreed tocomplete the Vietnam-Cambodia border market network development planbetween 2010 and 2020, consider a project to build pilotVietnam-Cambodia border markets for implementation in 2012, and buildregulations on management of Vietnam-Cambodia markets.

Vietnam and Cambodia will boost the implementation of“one-stop” examinations at international border gates between the twocountries, border trade activities and exchange of market information.

During the conference, a Vietnam-Cambodia private business forum was also organised./.