Dong Thap, Cambodia’s Pray Veng province step up trade cooperation

Dong Thap (VNA) – Leaders of the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap and Cambodia’s Pray Veng province met in the Vietnamese locality on August 12 to discuss measures to promote the bilateral collaborative ties after the Dinh Ba - Bontia Chak Cray border gate pair opened to traffic in May.

Deputy Governor of Pray Veng province Khouch Kunthia shared challenges in the management of trade activities, particularly rice and mango, between the two provinces, and expressed his interest to have deeper insight into transport and tariffs at border gates in Dong Thap provinces.

According to Vice Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade Vo Phuong Thuy, two-way trade between the two provinces in 2018 rose 30 percent year-on-year to 100 million USD. In the first seven months of 2019, trade revenue between the two sides reached 55 million USD. However, she said there is huge room for them to boost the import-export turnover in the coming time.

Thuy stressed high-level meetings between the two nations’ leaders have opened up trade opportunities for both sides as Vietnam committed zero percent tax rate for 32 products imported from Cambodia during 2019-2020 while Cambodia will apply the same tariff on 26 products originating from Vietnam.

According to Circular No.08 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, made-in-Cambodia goods through three border gates in Dong Thap province, namely Dinh Ba in Tan Hong district, Thuong PHuoc in Hong Ngu district, and So Thuong in Hong Ngu district will enjoy preferential import tariff.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Pham Thien Nghia said Dong Thap will soon update a list of enterprises qualified for cross-border transportation, and asked the customs forces of the two provinces to concretise procedures so as to facilitate trade flows.

Nghia said Dong Thap will organise a border trade fair and ceremony to announce the Dinh Ba-Bontia Chak Cray border gate pais being put in the Vietnam-Cambodia Road Transport Agreement in the fourth quarter of this year.

He described this as important event, contributing to bolstering trade exchange and tourism development.-VNA