Vietnamese and Cambodian experts and investors discussed ways to achieve a 5 billion USD trade by 2015 during a workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on December 15.

Director of the Vietnam Economic Research Institute Tran Dinh Thien updated them with Vietnam’s recent economic landscape and gave recommendations to Vietnamese investors in Cambodia.

Participants discussed in-depth opportunities and challenges in investing in Cambodia, including the potential of Vietnam-Cambodia trade and Vietnam’s legal protection in the country.

Vietnam is currently the fifth biggest investor in Cambodia with over 3 billion USD worth of 129 projects, predominantly in rubber, fertiliser, health care, banking, aviation and telecommunications.

Between 2009 and 2014, growth of two-way trade averages nearly 30 percent per year. In January-October, the total export-import value hit 2.6 billion USD and is forecast to top 3.5 billion USD this year.

The event was co-hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia and the Association of Vietnamese Investors in Cambodia./.