Phnom Penh (VNA) – The Vietnam-Cambodia International Commerce & Culture Forum 2026 took place in Phnom Penh on October 16, bringing together representatives of nearly 50 businesses from the two countries to explore trade, investment and cultural cooperation opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia Nguyen Minh Vu said that the forum will help strengthen business connectivity, expand economic cooperation and promote cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Alongside the positive growth in bilateral economic and trade ties, he highlighted regular cultural exchange activities, including culture weeks and days, artistic performances and photo exhibitions, which have helped introduce each country’s culture to the people of the other.
Vu noted that at the Cambodia-Vietnam Business Forum on October 9, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung outlined five major orientations for bilateral economic cooperation, including strengthening institutional and policy coordination, simplifying investment, immigration, customs and quarantine procedures, and maintaining regular dialogue to address business difficulties; and improving transport infrastructure, border gates, border markets and logistics, including the Ho Chi Minh City-Moc Bai-Bavet-Phnom Penh expressway.
Other priorities are developing agricultural and processing value chains linked to raw material areas, deeper processing, quality standards and traceability; expanding financial and banking cooperation, local-currency payments and cross-border QR payments; and promoting new growth drivers such as digital transformation, e-commerce, renewable energy, power grid connectivity, tourism and high-quality human resources training.
Building on these orientations, Vu encouraged businesses to focus discussions on strengthening partnerships, sharing market information, improving logistics and facilitating trade, as well as exploring effective, sustainable and mutually beneficial investment, tourism and cultural exchange projects.
He affirmed that the Vietnamese embassy will continue working with relevant agencies, localities, associations and businesses to promote economic diplomacy, facilitate business connections and help resolve obstacles to cooperation. He expressed his confidence that the forum will create new opportunities for investment and business partnerships, contributing to more substantive and effective Vietnam-Cambodia relations.
For his part, Tan Monivann, Vice President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, described the forum as a valuable opportunity for businesses from both countries to establish direct contacts, exchange experience and explore cooperation.
He proposed the two sides deepen collaboration in agriculture, processing industries, forestry, construction, digital technology, renewable energy, tourism and services. By combining Cambodia’s natural resources and expanding market opportunities with Vietnam’s experience, technology and production capacity, businesses can strengthen supply chains, develop higher-value-added products for new export markets and generate employment in both countries.
He added that the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce stands ready to facilitate business connections, promote dialogue, share market information and foster mutually beneficial partnerships. He encouraged participants to use the forum to identify potential partners, explore concrete opportunities and maintain contact to turn discussions into actual business cooperation.
At the event, businesses from both countries introduced their capabilities, products and services, while discussing opportunities for trade, investment, distribution, market expansion and joint business ventures.
The forum is expected to strengthen business connectivity, broaden commercial opportunities and promote cultural exchanges, contributing to closer friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia for the long-term benefit of their businesses and communities./.
VNA
