Indonesia eyes closer trade, tourism ties with Cambodia

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua) - Indonesia is looking to broaden trade and tourism ties with Cambodia, as part of its efforts to strengthen and support the realization of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by the end of 2015, a diplomat said Saturday.

"Trade volume between Indonesia and Cambodia shows a positive trend and can be improved as the volume remains below the potential capacity of the two countries," Adek Triana Yudhaswari, Charge d' Affairs of the Indonesian Embassy to Cambodia, said during the opening of an Indonesian trade and tourism exhibition here.

She said the bilateral trade volume last year was valued at $330 million.

Forty-six Indonesian companies are exhibiting their products, ranging from food and pharmaceutical products to traditionally hand-painted batik cloths and travel agents, at the three-day fair at the Diamond Island Center.

"Besides to further enhance bilateral ties, the exhibition aims to strengthen and support the ASEAN economic integration as all ASEAN member states are heading towards the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015," she said.

Chhuon Dara, Cambodia's Commerce Ministry Secretary of State, said the event created awareness of the potential business and partnership opportunity for trade, tourism, investment between Indonesia and Cambodia.

"Indonesia is one of the key trading partners of Cambodia in ASEAN," he said at the opening ceremony.

"Due to its biggest size of economy and market in ASEAN, Indonesia can play a significant role in developing ASEAN's economy and in contributing to the realization of the AEC in 2015. "

He said the forthcoming AEC would bring closer economic ties between Cambodia and Indonesia.

Dara appeals to Indonesian investors to consider investing in Cambodia since the country has received trade preferences from many countries which allow the exports of Cambodian products to those markets with duty-free and quota-free.

"Investing in Cambodia, you can get a lot of advantages for the exports of your products to those trade preference granting countries such as Europe, the United States, Canada, China, India, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand," he said.