AKP Phnom Penh, April 23, 2026 --

Cambodia and Vietnam have set an ambitious target to increase bilateral trade volume to US$20 billion in the near future, officials said Wednesday, signaling a deepening of economic integration between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.

The target was highlighted by Neak Oknha Kith Meng, President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Nguyen Minh Vu during the 2026 Business Dialogue held at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh.

To reach this milestone, both nations are committed to synchronising infrastructure in key sectors, including transport, energy, digital transformation, and industrial supply chains. Efforts will also focus on streamlining agricultural processing and ramping up joint promotion of investment, trade, and tourism.

"The US$20 billion bilateral trade target set by our two countries is no longer a distant figure; it is a realistic goal within our reach," Neak OknhaKith Meng said during the forum. He noted that the growth is underpinned by the 2025-2026 Bilateral Trade Promotion Agreement, which provides the institutional framework necessary to ensure the seamless flow of capital across borders.

Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu emphasised that current conditions are highly favourable for enterprises and investors to scale up cooperation in specific economic fields. 

He added that the embassy, alongside the Vietnam-Cambodia Business Association (VCBA), will actively relay private-sector proposals to the respective governments to further improve the investment climate.

Oknha Leng Rithy, Chairman of the VCBA, observed that the economic relationship is undergoing a significant structural shift toward "sustainable and deeper cooperation" in technology, high-tech agriculture, and green energy.

This transformation is being driven by increasingly frequent exchanges between entrepreneurs, supported by joint initiatives from the ministries of commerce and industry of both nations, as well as border province authorities.

The 2026 Business Dialogue was attended by approximately 200 delegates, including H.E. Chea Vuthy, Secretary General of the Cambodian Investment Committee of the Council for the Development of Cambodia.

The annual forum serves as a vital platform for updating bilateral cooperation data and sharing market experiences to bolster the presence of Vietnamese businesses in Cambodia.

By K. Rithy Reak