Cambodian ambassador speaks highly of mutual exchanges with Vietnam
This year, the Cambodian people celebrate their 60th National Day as well as the birthday of the Cambodia Kingdom’s royal army under the bright leadership of King Norodom Sihanouk, who relentlessly struggled against the French colonialists to gain independence (09-11-1953 – 09-11-2013). In 2010, Father King Norodom Sihanouk and acting King Norodom Sihamony officially visited Vietnam to enhance the relationship between the two countries. Every year, various visits and experience exchanges between the two countries’ leaders are organized. Then President Nguyen Minh Triet led a high-ranking delegation to visit Cambodia in 2010, followed by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s visit in 2011. Two-way trade between the two countries in the first half of this year reached more than US$2.83 billion, which is planned to be boosted to $5 billion by 2015. More than 423,000 Vietnamese tourists visited Cambodia in the first six months of this year, outnumbering visitors from any other country. The yearly total of Vietnamese tourists is expected to reach 1 million by 2014. The Cambodian government offers various policies to draw foreign tourists to Cambodia, including setting up new direct flights, easing visa procedures and applying visa exemptions for certain countries. Viet Nam has invested nearly $1.5 billion into Cambodia. Its investments include Angkor Air, BIDV Bank, Cho Ray Hospital, Metfone network and a fertilizer factory. … Cambodia plans to export 1 million tonnes of rice in 2015. It’s estimated that the country’s growth rate will reach 7.2 per cent this year despite natural disasters. In developing human resources, the Vietnamese government has offered many short and long-term scholarships to Cambodian students. Between 1981 and 2013, more than 3,000 Cambodian staff and students have received scholarships to study in Vietnam. …
Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://www.thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=11&token=NTQ0YTNhY2QzOTQ
