Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Autonomous Port recently signed an MoU with the Saigon Newport Corporation, which operates Vietnamese ports, to raise efficiency and reduce shipping costs between both sides.

Cambodia is building additional sub-ports along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers to connect to important industrial and agricultural areas.

Cambodia’s Phnom Penh Autonomous Port (PPAP) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Saigon Newport Corporation (SNP), which operates Vietnamese ports, to raise efficiency and reduce shipping costs between both sides.

The signing ceremony was held at an SNP workshop to explore ways to strengthen connectivity and develop logistic routes. The workshop was organised on the sidelines of the Vietnam-Cambodia Defence Economic Production Exhibition 2023 in Phnom Penh in October last week.

PPAP deputy director Hei Phanin said logistics between Vietnam and Cambodia has developed rapidly in recent years, strengthening ties along the common border, according to Vietnamese media reports.

“PPAP is strongly committed to supporting the Cambodian government’s policy to grow the Cambodian economy by improving our infrastructure and services, in response to growing demand. We are constructing addition[al] sub-ports along the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers to connect our services to important industrial and agricultural areas.

For full article, please read here



Author: Fibre2Fashion News Desk

Source: Khmer Times

Cambodia collective trademark Sen Kra Ob (SKO) winning the gold award in the 1st China-ASEAN Taste Quality Appraisal Activities of High-Quality Indica Rice Variety will contribute to promoting the commodity to the foreign market, said Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF).

SKO rice was awarded the gold award in the international rice competition last week at the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Seed Management Station and Rice Research Institute of Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Science, China, a CRF statement on Tuesday said.

As many as 61 rice varieties, of which 12 from five ASEAN countries, were submitted for the contest, stated the report.

SKO rice was recognised by the award committee as a good and delicious rice variety and given the gold medal, CRF said.

“Winning the gold award will contribute to promoting the name of Cambodia’s fragrant rice to a wider market,” CRF said in the statement.

The collective trademark of SKO and Damnoeb Sbai Mongkul (DSMK) Cambodian premium glutinous rice were officially launched in June 2022 with the aim of boosting the export of milled rice.

SKO rice is popular all over Cambodia, as it provides a high yield, is aromatic and of good quality, and is also soft and delicious, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.

For further article, please read here


Author: Chea Vanyuth

Source: Khmer Times

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – A new Brunei-based airline called GallopAir will take to the skies in the third quarter of 2024, positioning the sultanate as a potential aviation hub for the BIMP-EAGA region.

On Wednesday, the airline signed a letter of intent to purchase 30 aircraft from Chinese planemaker Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) in a deal worth US$2 billion.

The signing took place at the China-ASEAN expo in Nanning, witnessed by Hj Amer Hishamuddin, permanent secretary at Brunei’s Ministry of Development, and Daniel Leong, acting CEO of the Brunei Economic Development Board.

In a statement, GallopAir said the deal would have “profound implications” for both Brunei and Southeast Asia, enhancing connectivity in the region by offering direct flights from Bandar Seri Begawan to several cities in China and the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

Little is known about GallopAir, which is expected to be only the second Brunei-based airline operator after national carrier Royal Brunei Airlines. The Brunei government has yet to issue any statement about the airline, which has an office address listed in Batu Bersurat, but no official website.

Source: The Scoop

Read the full article here

The Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) continues to be an attractive hub for foreign and domestic investments, said Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah at the launch of BIMP-EAGA Trade Convention 2023 (BETCON 23) at Bridex Hall, Jerudong.

The minister said the sub-region saw foreign direct investments in 2022 rose to USD19.9 billion, a 46.7 per cent increase from 2021. Meanwhile, domestic investments grew to USD8.7 billion in 2022, an increase of 19.3 per cent compared to 2021.

“Tourism is showing full recovery, with arrivals increasing by 137.3 per cent to 114.8 million in 2022 from 48.4 million in 2021,” said the minister.

The minister said there is an increase in priority infrastructure projects, from 57 in 2017 to 129 in 2023, amounting to USD38.87 billion. These projects include road, sea and airports, infocommunications and technology infrastructure and power interconnections.

The minister also noted an improvement in the sub-region’s trade balance, from USD70.2 billion to USD84.8 billion from 2021 to 2022.

“With all these positive developments in BIMP-EAGA, I believe that BETCON23 is the right platform for our businesses to network, promote their products and services, and explore potential business opportunities that will further boost cooperation towards achieving the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 (BEV 2025),” said Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew.

Yesterday, the minister launched the event alongside Indonesia’s Senior Advisor to the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Dr Rizal Edwin, Malaysian Deputy Minister of Economy Dato Hajah Hanifah Hajar Taib; Chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Maria Belen S Acosta, Cese and BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC) Brunei Chairman Pengiran Dr Haji Haris bin Pengiran Duraman, who is also this year’s BEBC Chair.

Source: Borneo Bulletin

Read the full article here

Brunei Darussalam is poised for economic growth, with the latest quarterly outlook from the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) projecting a 1.1 per cent growth for 2023 and an expected 2.0 per cent growth in 2024.

This upward revision comes as a result of AMRO’s October quarterly update of the 2023 ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook (AREO), which increased the Sultanate’s growth forecast from its previous estimate of 1.0 per cent made in July.

In addition to the growth forecast adjustments, AMRO also revised Brunei’s inflation outlook.

For 2023, the inflation forecast was raised to 1.0 per cent, up from the previous estimate of 0.9 per cent, while the 2024 inflation outlook was increased to 1.1 per cent.

The report highlighted that despite a less optimistic global economic outlook for the following year, the region’s growth will be bolstered by an expected turnaround in manufacturing exports and improved growth momentum in China.

The broader ASEAN+3 region is projected to grow by 4.3 per cent in 2023, slightly down from the 4.6 per cent projection in July. The dip is primarily attributed to weaker-than-expected growth in China during the second quarter of the year.

Source: Borneo Bulletin

Read the full article here

ASEAN Leaders adopted the Declaration on ASEAN as an Epicentrum of Growth at the recent 43rd ASEAN Summit. Read further details of the Declaration in the September edition of the ASEAN for Business Bulletin here.

The Lao-China Railway has surpassed expectations, transporting a total of 26.8 million tons of cargo as of 3 October, and carrying more than 2,700 types of goods since it began operating in December 2021.

China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. reported that the Lao-China Railway has been in operation for 22 months, becoming a vital artery for trade and economic development in the region and a major international railway connecting China, Laos, and neighboring countries.

Since the beginning of its operations, the railway has transported over 5.5 million tons of import and export goods, including agricultural products, minerals, and manufactured goods, playing a key role in trade and economic development.

In 2023 alone, the railway transported over 3 million tons of goods, with over 345,000 tons imported from China to Laos and over 2.7 million tons exported from Laos to China.

Laos’s top exports to China include fruits, cassava flour, barley, rubber, beer, iron ore, concentrated iron ore, and chemical fertilizers.

The Laos-China Railway recently announced that it has carried over 3.1 million passengers since it opened in late 2021 until September this year, with an average daily ridership of 4,889 passengers and a peak ridership of 10,197 passengers.

In 2023, the Laos-China Railway saw a surge in passenger traffic, with over 1.75 million passengers traveling on the railway from January to September, a 103.7 percent increase from the same period in 2022.

The Laos-China Railway Company also purchased a new electric multiple-unit (EMU) train to meet the growing demand from both domestic and international tourists, especially in preparation for Laos’ Chairmanship of ASEAN and Visit Laos Year 2024.

By Chono Lapuekou

Source: Laotian Times

A freight train service linking Vientiane Capital, Laos, and Shanghai, China, was officially launched on 8 October.

This freight service which links the Laos-China Railway and the Shanghai-Kunming Railway, will be operated both ways.

The inaugural freight journey from Vientiane to Shanghai transported a variety of cargo, such as fruits and rubber from Southeast Asia. Following its journey from Vientiane Capital to Kunming, the train continued to Shanghai from Wangjiaying West Station in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, China.

According to the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China, the trip to Shanghai is expected to take 82 hours (3.4 days).

The Laos-China Railway project is part of China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, which aims to enhance regional integration, boost trade, and stimulate economic growth by connecting Asia with Africa and Europe through both land and maritime networks.

Since its commencement in December 2021, this railway line has facilitated the transportation of approximately 27 million tons of cargo to various destinations, including Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar.

By Jonathan Meadley

Source: Laotian Times

Primaduta and Primaniyarta Award winners with top government officials during a photocall at the venue of TEI 2023. Cambodian firm Kabbas Co Limited has won the ‘Primaduta Award’ from the Indonesian Government under the import category.

Cambodian firm Kabbas Co Limited has won the ‘Primaduta Award’ from the Indonesian Government under the import category. The awards were declared at the Trade Expo Indonesia launching ceremony. Kabbas Co Limited is one of the eight companies to win the award for importing Indonesian products.

Primaduta Awards are the highest award and appreciation from the part of the National Government of Indonesia, handed over to companies that promote sustainable imports of Indonesian products. Primaniyarta Award is the greatest reward given by the Indonesian Government to the most successful Indonesian exporters and to them who can be the role model for the other Indonesian exporters.

Kabbas Co Ltd is an importer of various Indonesian products in Cambodia and the imported product list includes Kopiko, Danisa and Malkist Roma from PT.Mayora. It also imports Good Day Coffee from PT.Santos Jaya Abadi.

The Trade Expo Indonesia is an annual trade exhibition organised by the Trade Ministry. This year, TEI was held hybrid at the ICE BSD City, Tangerang, on October 18-22, 2023, and online from October 18 to December 18, 2023, through the official website www.tradexpoindonesia.com.

For full article, please read here


Author: Sreekanth Ravindran
Source: Khmer Times

Cambodia’s National Solar Park supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will enable the country’s state-run national power utility Electricite du Cambodge (EDC) to charge local power consumers with the lowest tariff in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, said a release by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME).

MME’s release pointed out that the comparison of to-be-charged power utility tariff was made during a meeting held on Tuesday between MME’s Minister Keo Rattanak and Winfried F. Wicklein, ADB’s Director General for Southeast Asia, which was also attended by other senior officials of the government and ADB including Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS), Thor Chetha, Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRM) and ADB Country Director for Cambodia Jyotsana Varma.

“The solar power project is the most cost-efficient in the region and a good model for other countries,” said Wicklein. The top-level working lunch was also attended by senior officials from other government ministries-institutions such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Ministry of Environment (MoE) at Rosewood Hotel Phnom Penh.

The National Solar Park project that has been completed in phase 1 was estimated at $26.71 million including $7.64 million financed by ADB as loans, $11 million co-financed under the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF), $5.07 million financed by the government itself and $3 million by grant financing.

Phase I of the tender, for the first 60 MW, was organised in 2019 and awarded to the firm Prime Road Alternative. The process resulted in a record-low price for utility-scale, grid-connected solar PV in Southeast Asia, at $0.039 per kilowatt-hours (kWh). The remaining 40 MW was tendered in 2020 and awarded to Trina Solar Co. Ltd. This led to another record-low procurement price for the region at $0.026 per kWh.

For full article, please read here


Author: Kang Sothear
Source: Khmer Times

The Lao head of the Party Central Committee for External Relations, Thongsavanh Phomvihane, met with a Russian delegation led by an MP and Secretary of the Moscow Capital Party Committee Denis Andreevich Parfenov this week, to discuss economic cooperation, including the possibility of launching a direct flight route between Vientiane and Moscow.

During the meeting, on 2 October, the parties stressed their interest in enhancing bilateral trade and boosting investment and tourism. The launch of a Moscow-Vientiane flight route would aim at increasing the number of tourists from Russia and bringing in more revenues and jobs in Laos. 

More than 23,000 Russian tourists visited Laos in the first half of 2023, and this number is expected to increase in 2024, as Laos has designated the coming year as “Visit Laos Year 2024.”

Laos and Russia previously had a direct flight linking the two countries. The route was operated by Ural Airlines from Vladivostok to Vientiane Capital, but it was canceled in February 2023 due to limited demand and financial constraints, after starting operations just a few months earlier, in October 2022. 

Now, a year later, Ural Airlines announced the resumption of flights from the port city of Vladivostok to Vientiane Capital for its winter schedule.

Ural Airlines will start operating a weekly flight from Vladivostok to Vientiane Capital starting on 29 October. The flight will depart Vladivostok at 9:30 a.m. and arrive in Vientiane at 3:50 p.m., with an estimated travel time of 6 hours and 20 minutes.

The return flight will depart from Vientiane to Vladivostok at 1:00 a.m. on 30 October and arrive at 7:35 a.m.

The two countries have a long history of close ties, but trade between them has never been highly profitable. In 2022, bilateral trade was valued at around USD 50 million, according to ASEAN Briefing. 

To that end, the Russian delegation in Laos further discussed future plans to purchase Lao coffee and increase imports from Laos.

By Chono Lapuekou

Source: Laotian Times

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Laos is pushing for the increased use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the country to reduce funds spent on importing petroleum.

To support its EV ambitions, the Ministry is keen to facilitate the production, supply, and usage of these vehicles, as well as support the setting up of EV charging stations around the country.

Buavanh Vilavong, the Director General of the Department of Industry and Handicraft under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, highlighted the importance of adopting EVs in Laos to minimize the financial burden of importing petroleum. 

He emphasized that by transitioning to electric vehicles, the country can reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and move towards a sustainable transport system that uses clean energy and is better for the environment.

The Ministry of Industry and Commerce will also be working with the natural resources and environment sector to implement strategies for handling expired batteries, as electric vehicle batteries must be replaced every seven to 10 years for smaller vehicles, and three to four for larger vehicles like buses or vans. This is to ensure that there are no negative impacts on the environment and the population from the disposal of used EV batteries. 

Due to its considerable potential for electricity generation through renewable sources, Laos aims to increase its EV consumption to at least 1 percent of total vehicles by 2025 including cars, buses, and motorcycles. It also plans to install at least 50 charging stations across the country to support this transition.

By Jonathan Meadley

Source: Laotian Times