A shoe production line for export. Apparel and footwear materials are among Vietnamese key export products to Cambodia. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên held a working session with Cambodian Ambassador to Việt Nam Chay Navuth in Hà Nội on Thursday to discuss measures to strengthen bilateral ties across trade, industry and energy.

Diên expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Cambodian Government and with prevention and control measures, Cambodia will soon wipe out COVID-19 and restore its economy.

On the occasion, he presented 10,000 anti-bacterial cloth masks to the Cambodian Embassy in Việt Nam, and 10,000 others to each of the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce; Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation; and the Ministry of Mines and Energy.

Both sides spoke highly of bilateral trade ties over the past years, with an annual growth of around 18 per cent during 2010-2019.

Last year, two-way trade tripled from 2010. In 2019, it reached US$5.2 billion, surpassing the target of $5 billion. They expressed their belief that the figure will grow more strongly in the near future.

The two sides agreed to maintain and renovate customs clearance model at border gates on roads and waterways, ensuring that the supply chain will not be disrupted, especially for necessities such as medical and food supplies, amid the pandemic.

At the same time, they will review, revise and sign legal frameworks related to trade, especially an agreement between the two Governments to step up bilateral trade for the 2022-2023 period.

They vowed to accelerate the implementation of a master plan to carry out the Memorandum of Understanding on connectivity and development of border trade infrastructure between the two governments.

Further support will be offered to firms to promote trade, build trademarks and distribution channels, enhance information sharing, fight smuggling across the border, enhance power purchase partnership, and ensure the stability and safety of each nation’s electricity system.

Diên affirmed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade is ready to work with the Cambodian Embassy and other units to lift Việt Nam – Cambodia relations in the near future.

The ministry’s Department of Asian-African Markets reported that two-way trade reached $2.69 billion in the first quarter of this year, up 103.68 per cent annually. Of the figure, Việt Nam’s exports to Cambodia rose by 15.83 per cent year-on-year to $1.22 billion, with iron and steel up 20.8 per cent, apparel 15.5 per cent, oil and gas 18.4 per cent, apparel and footwear materials 10.6 per cent.

Meanwhile, imports from Cambodia soared by 443 per cent annually to $1.47 billion, including cashew nuts $711 million, up 497 per cent; rubber $318.3 million, up 999 per cent; vegetables $13.3 million, up 48.2 per cent, iron and steel scrap $10.7 million, up 216.7 per cent. — VNS