The event was attended by senior officials of the three nations, representatives
of enterprises operating in the CLV Development Triangle Area, and those from
Vietnam’s Dak Nong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Binh Phuoc provinces. It
focused discussion on measures to remove barriers in promoting investment and
trade in the 13 border provinces of the three countries.
In the CLV Development Triangle Area, Vietnam currently has 116 projects with a
total registered capital of nearly 4 billion USD, accounting for 23.1 percent of
Vietnam's total investment projects in Laos and Cambodia.
Border trade between Vietnam with Laos and Cambodia has recorded remarkable
development in recent years.
However, there are still some shortcomings related to the "one-stop-shop” model
at the border gates, changes in export-import policy, and infrastructure for
payment and banking.
Deputy Director of the Foreign Investment Agency under the Ministry of Planning
and Investment Vo Van Chung stressed the need for joint efforts by the local
authorities of the 13 provinces in the area to overcome difficulties and
shortcomings in the time to come.
He also suggested the authorities of Laos and Cambodia make specific reforms on
tax incentives in order to create an open business environment for enterprises,
especially in the CLV Development Triangle Area.
At the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on the morning of March 9 in the
framework of the JCC CLV DTA 12, the local subcommittees of the five Vietnamese
provinces frankly admitted that many issues are hindering the area’s
development.
The subcommittees asked the three nations’ governments to direct their
ministries and agencies to provide funding for the 13 provinces in the
development triangle area to implement the master plan on socio-economic
development; and consider and establish biodiversity corridors in areas shared
among the three countries to enhance the value and conserve biodiversity; and
call on donors to support the development of infrastructure, especially
transport facilities.
In the rubber field, a Cambodian representative agreed on the importance and
sustainability of the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG)’s investment project in
Cambodia.
Since 2007, VRG has invested in 19 rubber growing and latex processing projects
in Cambodia, with a total disbursed capital of 750 million USD by the end of
2018. The group has so far planted 90,000 hectares of rubber trees in the
country, accounting for 90 percent of the total area it committed with the
Cambodian Government.
The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area was established in 1999,
initially covering 10 provinces namely Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak and Dak Nong
(Vietnam); Sekong, Attapeu and Saravan (Laos); and Stung Treng, Rattanakiri and
Mondulkiri (Cambodia). Vietnam’s Binh Phuoc province, Laos’ Champassak province
and Kratie of Cambodia were added into the group in 2009.
The group aims to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation among the three
countries while ensuring security and political stability as well as promoting
poverty reduction and socio-economic development in the area.
Its cooperation focuses on such areas as security-diplomacy, transport,
industry, agriculture, trade, investment, social affairs, and environmental
protection.
Vietnam has joined actively and made important contributions to the area.
Source: VNA