On September 14, a business dialogue was held at the Cambodian Development Council (CDC) in Phnom Penh, focusing on enhancing Vietnamese investment in Cambodia. The event, themed "Accompanying, Unblocking, Connecting, Developing," was organized by CDC in cooperation with the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Office of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia, the Vietnam Trade Office in Cambodia, and the Vietnam-Cambodia Business Association (VCBA).

Attendees included CDC leaders, representatives from various Cambodian ministries and agencies, and Cambodian businesses collaborating with Vietnam. Vietnamese participants included Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu, representatives from the Economic Office, the Trade Office, VCBA, and Vietnamese businesses currently operating in Cambodia.

Chea Vuthy, Secretary-General of the Cambodian Investment Council, emphasized the strong and friendly relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia. He noted that the CDC is actively facilitating Vietnamese businesses to expand their investments in Cambodia, which has already seen over 3 billion USD worth of projects. However, he pointed out that there is still significant room for growth in the number and value of Vietnamese investments in Cambodia.

Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu highlighted economic cooperation as a key focus for both nations, projecting that trade between Vietnam and Cambodia could reach a record 11.33 billion USD by 2025. In the first eight months of 2026, trade has already increased by 8.3% year-on-year, amounting to 8.67 billion USD.

Currently, there are 223 Vietnamese investment projects in Cambodia, totaling nearly 3.4 billion USD. Vietnamese enterprises have made significant contributions across various sectors, including large-scale agriculture, finance, telecommunications, aviation, processing, trade, and services, employing tens of thousands of workers and contributing hundreds of millions of USD to the Cambodian state budget annually.

Ambassador Vu expressed hope for a new wave of Vietnamese investment in Cambodia and urged the CDC to not only assist in addressing challenges faced by businesses but also to provide a list of priority sectors, investment areas, economic zones, suitable land, incentives, and projects that Cambodia is seeking investment for.

The dialogue aimed to create a platform for direct communication between the Vietnamese business community in Cambodia and the CDC, addressing challenges, enhancing policy understanding, proposing solutions for improving the investment environment, and encouraging new investment projects.

Chea Vuthy reiterated Cambodia's readiness to support investors, including Vietnamese, in their business operations. The Cambodian government is committed to creating a favorable investment environment with policies that encourage investment, including tax and non-tax incentives, and simplifying administrative procedures.

Leng Rithy, Chairman of VCBA, noted a shift in Vietnamese investment trends from primarily raw material cultivation for export to establishing long-term partnerships with Cambodian firms, including joint investments in processing facilities within Cambodia.

Nguyen Nguyen Dung, First Secretary of the Economic Office, stated that supporting Vietnamese businesses to invest effectively in Cambodia is a key focus of the embassy's economic diplomacy efforts. The office has implemented various activities to support businesses, emphasizing the importance of providing information, connecting opportunities, and addressing challenges.

Moving forward, the office plans to continue monitoring the needs of businesses, maintaining strong relationships with Cambodian authorities, and providing timely information on laws, policies, and market conditions to assist in business expansion.