Housed in a plastic replica of Siem Reap’s Banteay Srey temple, 10 booths displayed a variety of Cambodian products at the Asean Trade Fair 2004 in Hanoi last week, including garments, package tours, handmade silk and other agricultural, industrial and cultural products.
“Lots of people were interested in our products shown in Hanoi,” said Kuoch Ky, secretary of state for the Ministry of Commerce.
ATF 2004 was organized by the Vietnam-Asean secretariat to promote exchange and trade possibilities among the Asean nations.
The Ministry of Commerce will soon move the faux Angkorean-era temple and booths full of products from Hanoi to China, where ATF 2004 will be displayed Nov 3 to Nov 9, Kuoch Ky said. Prime Minister Hun Sen may attend that exhibition, he added.
The trade fair was designed to expose Asean members to each other’s national products, and to advertise the benefits of investing in member countries, Kuoch Ky said.
By setting up factories in Cambodia, a UN-designated “least developed country,” Asean countries can export to other markets without taxation, said Minister of Commerce Cham Prasidh. As a least developed country, Cambodia has special licenses designed to bolster the economy, some of which allow for tax-free exports to other nations.
Cham Prasidh specifically called for Vietnam and Thailand to set up trade activities along areas bordering Cambodia.
The provinces of Ratanakkiri, Kompong Cham and Svay Rieng need manufacturing projects with Vietnam, he said. He also suggested increased trade and industry near Thailand in Banteay Meanchey, Battambang and Koh Kong provinces.
