News
Huge haul of smuggled ivory came from Kenya
The three-ton haul of illegal elephant ivory seized by port officials on May 9 originated in Kenya and was then shipped through Malaysia to Cambodia in two freight containers, the chief of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port’s customs and excise department said Thursday. Most of the elephant ...
Khy Sovuthy and Simon Henderson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/huge-haul-of-smuggled-ivory-came-from-kenya-59451/
Cambodia's oil imports up 10 pct in Q1
Cambodia imported 453,000 tons of petroleum in the first three months of 2014, up 10 percent from 412,190 tons over the same period last year, the data of the Ministry of Commerce showed Tuesday. During the January-March period this year, the country spent 442 million U.S. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=13&token=MjhiNWFmMjgwODB
Oz an example for mining reform
Inspired by Australian mining regulations, the Cambodian government is considering a raft of changes to the mineral resources mining law, including a rethink of the sector’s comparatively high tax rate. Citing discussions held with Western Australia state mining industry representatives last week, Meng Saktheara, secretary of ...
Eddie Morton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/oz-example-mining-reform
Cambodia exports to US rise by over 10 pct
Driven by a slowly recovering American economy, Cambodian exports to the US increased 11 per cent in the first quarter of 2014 compared with the same period last year, according to the latest US government data. Cambodian exports from January to March totalled $771 million, up ...
Eddie Morton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodia-exports-us-rise-over-10-pct
Exports of rubber up, but prices on the fall
Despite a large increase in exports during the first quarter, natural rubber producers continue to see declining revenues, as world prices fall further. The latest figures from the Ministry of Commerce show natural rubber exports grew 26 per cent during the first quarter of 2014, compared ...
Chan Muyhong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/exports-rubber-prices-fall
GI products closer to fruition
Three of Cambodia’s most iconic natural products – Thma Koul rice, Kampot durian and Cambodian silk – have been earmarked by the government to obtain the World Trade Organization’s Geographical Indication (GI) status. Speaking to reporters after a press conference on GI registration at the Ministry ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/gi-products-closer-fruition
Cambodia announces Intellectual Property Rights laws to protect artists and musicians' works
Cambodia announces today a new Intellectual Property Rights laws drafted to protect the country’s artists and musicians and their works from counterfeiting in accordance with interntional IPR standards. An event held at Ministry of Commerce was attended by newly-appointed Sun Chanthol, Minister of Commerce, who has ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/detail/1?page=15&token=MTI4YzJmMmZiNzY
Cambodia's garment, footwear exports up 16 pct in Q1
Garment and footwear industry, Cambodia’s largest income earner, reported a 16 percent surge in exports in the first three months of 2014, the figures of the Ministry of Commerce showed Monday. The Southeast Asian nation exported apparel and footwear products in equivalent to 1.56 billion U.S. ...
ASEAN - China Centre News Staff
http://www.asean-china-center.org/english/2014-04/28/c_133295843.htm
Cambodia asks for help in oil and gas industry
Cambodia has invited resource-rich Azerbaijan to help develop Cambodia’s prospective oil and gas industry, Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol announced during a high-level visit to the Caucasian country on Tuesday, according to Azerbaijani media reports. Mr. Chanthol laid out a goal to achieve an overall trade ...
Simon Henderson
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/cambodia-asks-for-help-in-oil-and-gas-industry-57237/
Trade deficit prompts call to diversify exports
Cambodia’s trade deficit expanded to almost half a billion dollars during the first three months of the year, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Commerce. Between January and March, Cambodia’s exports reached $1.99 billion, up 19 per cent compared to the same period ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/trade-deficit-prompts-call-diversify-exports
Economist Says Asean Likely To Miss Key Deadlines for Integration
Southeast Asian countries are likely to miss a deadline for the economic integration of Asean in 2015, a leading economist says. Jayat Menon, an economist for the Asian Development Bank, told reporters in Phnom Penh Wednesday that Asean countries are behind on key targets for integration ...
Suy Heimkhemra
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/economist-says-asean-likely-to-miss-key-deadlines-for-integration-/1899474.html
Minister calls for old car ban
Imports of older cars and vans should be banned to help reduce pollution, Minister of Industry and Handicrafts Cham Prasidh said on Monday. Speaking to Cambodia’s business community at a Green Industry workshop in Phnom Penh on Monday, Prasidh said all countries had a role to ...
Chan Muyhong
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/minister-calls-old-car-ban
Cambodia's foreign trade up 15% amid ongoing political row
Cambodia’s trade volume with foreign countries has increased by 15 percent in the first quarter of 2014 even though the internal conflict between the ruling and opposition parties over July election results remains unsolved. The figures of the Commerce Ministry showed Tuesday that the Southeast Asian ...
Shanghai Daily News Staff
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=213997
Rice customs fees dropped
The Ministry of Economy and Finance (MoEF) will scrap customs fees for rice exporters from May 1 in an effort to reduce production costs and boost Cambodia’s competitiveness in the sector, according to a letter obtained by the Post. “[The ministry] has agreed to eliminate charges ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/rice-customs-fees-dropped
Cambodian, Chinese businessmen meet to explore cooperation opportunities
The Sichuan-Cambodia Business Matching Session 2014 was held here Thursday with an aim to further promote economic and trade relations between Cambodia and China. The half-day forum brought together business executives from 51 enterprises in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province and some 120 Cambodian business people. ...
Global Times News Staff
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/855183.shtml#.U1CChPmSxqU
Ministry shake-up as AEC integration looms
The Ministry of Commerce is undergoing an internal shake-up to better position itself for the opening up of trade across the region. Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol told the Post yesterday that ahead of Asean Economic Community (AEC) integration in 2015, new divisions were being established and others realigned ...
Daniel de Carteret
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/ministry-shake-aec-integration-looms
Mercedes halts imports over luxury tax
The sole retailer of Mercedes-Benz cars into the country, Hung Hiep (Cambodia) Co., has suspended imports since January over what it claims is a new import duty on luxury cars coming into the country. Other luxury car importers including Porsche, Audi, BMW and Jaguar Land Rover, ...
George Styllis
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/business/mercedes-halts-imports-over-luxury-tax-56050/
Cambodian rice exports fall in Q1
As Thailand sells its rice reserves and reforms in Myanmar are rewarded with more access to markets abroad, Cambodia’s total exports of milled rice are on the decline, falling more than 10 per cent in the first quarter of this year compared with the same ...
May Kunmakara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cambodian-rice-exports-fall-q1
U.S. holds intellectual property rights workshop for Cambodian, Lao officials
The United States government on Tuesday organized an intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement workshop for some 50 Cambodian and Lao law enforcement officials. ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-03/25/c_133212172.htm
Friends in high places
A Chinese developer with a “family-like” relationship to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s bodyguard unit has accelerated construction at its $5 billion resort – ostensibly cancelled by royal decree in 2010 – in a protected national park in Preah Sihanouk province. The 3,300-hectare Golden Silver Gulf resort ...
Daniel Pye and May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/friends-high-places
Proposed law gives new powers to Justice Ministry
The last of three draft laws written with the aim of cleaning up the courts establishes four new judicial chambers, but legal and political experts worry that it does little to loosen the grip of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Justice Ministry over the courts. The draft ...
Lauren Crothers and Hul Reaksmey
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/proposed-law-gives-new-powers-to-justice-ministry-54546/
Sugar exports to stay duty free, EU trade czar says
European Union Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht said he has no plans to launch an investigation into Cambodia’s much-criticized sugarcane plantations after a meeting with Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. Bottom line: Cambodia’s free trade benefits to Europe are safe for ...
Zsombor Peter
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sugar-exports-to-stay-duty-free-eu-trade-czar-says-54447/
EU trade commissioner visits Cambodia to boost ties
The European Union (EU) Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht started his visit to Cambodia on Tuesday to bolster bilateral trade link. De Gucht held talks with his Cambodian counterpart Sun Chanthol and both sides agreed to further promote bilateral trade relations for mutual benefits, Ken Ratha, ...
Xinhuanet News Staff
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-03/18/c_133195945.htm
Exports of bicycles to dip in 2014
Cambodia’s bicycle exports to the European Union are expected to decline this year after changes to EU trade preferences in early January excluded Malaysian and Singaporean parts from the scheme. Under EU preferences, a bicycle is considered a Cambodian product when at least 30 per cent ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/exports-bicycles-dip-2014