HCM City plans further cooperation with Cambodia in all areas, including trade, healthcare, agriculture, and education and training, according to Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the city's People's Committee.

Speaking at a meeting in the city yesterday on the 45th anniversary (June 24) of the establishment of Viet Nam – Cambodia diplomatic ties, Quan said cooperative relations with Cambodia's capital city, Phnom Penh, began in 1999. To date, HCM City has developed 34 projects in Cambodia, with a total investment of nearly US$198 million.

The project to build the Cho Ray – Phnom Penh Hospital, with a capacity of 500 beds at a cost of $42.37 million, is expected to be operational in June next year. Cho Ray is a major hospital in HCM City.

In addition, HCM City regularly organises trade fairs in tourism, trade and services in Phnom Penh as well as Cambodia's Battambang Province and other localities.

Last year, bilateral trade between HCM City and Cambodia reached more than $210 million.

Two-way import and export values between Viet Nam and Cambodia was nearly $2.8 billion in 2011.

Viet Nam has developed nearly 100 projects in Cambodia, with a total investment of more than $2.2 billion.

Source:  VNS