Chamber News

Prepared by Keo Nimet

Meeting between H.E. Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC and Ms Mariko KANO, Researcher, Culture and Information Section of the Embassy of Japan in Cambodia

On 18 August 2009 at 03:00 pm, H.E. Nguon Meng Tech has accepted to meet Ms. Mariko KANO, researcher of the Japan Embassy to discuss about scholarship offered by the government of Japan to Private Sector for MBA degree

Ms. Mariko KANO explained that in the near future the trading and investment between the two countries will be increasing. The Japanese government is of concerns that the quality of human resources in Cambodia is not up to international standard and therefore, offering these scholarships to the Private Sector with the hope that it will help the PS to gain knowledge of international trade and to ease the Japanese companies in finding skill labor force when doing business with Cambodian. She further informs that normally the degree takes two years to complete, but this degree is shortening to only one year to suit the availability of the private sector.

To qualify for this program, candidates must possess Bachelor degree, be under 35 years of age with English language TOEFL test between 250 to 600 marks, subject to further testing. Candidates must be nominated by the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and all the applications will be reviewed by the host universities in Japan by February next year. Selected candidates will receive subsistence allowance of up to US$ 2,600 per month. However, the potential candidates list is to be provided by no later than October 16.

In response H.E. Nguon Meng Tech has expressed his appreciation with satisfaction that this offering is a very kind of Japanese government and is of great significant to the development of the Cambodia. He further added that this assistance will help improve the human resource development of Cambodia and will further exert the positive impact on the Cambodian economy.

Excellency has expressed that he was so grateful to welcome this offering and will convey and disseminate this kind offering widely to all members of the private sectors so that they can join applauding in this program.

Meeting between H.E. Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC and Mr. Gwang – Ho LEE, Director General of Kotra, Phnom Penh

On 11 Aug 2009 at 10:30 am, Excellency Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC has met with Mr. Gwang – Ho LEE, Director General of Kotra for a courtesy call as Mr. LEE has just taken office 2 weeks ago.
At the meeting Mr. LEE has given a brief background of Kotra citing that Kotra is a South Korean government agency established in 1962 to take charge of the trading. This agency has been, from then, enlarging in its scope to take care of both trade and investment. Since its establishment in Phnom Penh in 1997, this agency has attached with Republic of Korean Embassy until recently moved to the new location adjacent to the PNP center.

Mr. LEE has requested a continued support and cooperation from the CCC to promote a fast growing of trade and investment between Korea and Cambodia which was warmly welcomed by H.E Nguon Meng Tech. Mr. LEE has expressed the opinion that Cambodia development need to go step by step to fit the trend of need. He further expressed that successful investors should have observed need of the people. People need to survive by having water, food and sleep because all needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met. Therefore, we should not overlook any steps or we won’t be successful.

At the conclusion, Excellency Nguon Meng Tech has expressed his high appreciation, putting that it is of great mania to welcome this courtesy visit and optimistically hope it will further exert positive impact on the friendly exchanges and mutual cooperation for both countries and peoples. Both expressed their gratefulness of the result of the discussion and look forward to mutual support and cooperation.

Business meeting between Member of the CCC and Malaysian businessmen of Salangor province 29 July 2009 at the head of office of the CCC

On 29 July 2009 at 02:30 pm, the CCC hosted a meeting with Malaysian businessmen of Salangor province, one of the most developed provinces in Malaysia. The delegations are led by Mr. Borhanuddin Bin Ramli, Director of Delta Perdana Sdn Bhd and from Cambodia led by Oknha Hann Khieng, Director of Muhhiba Engineering Co. Ltd. and Vice president of the CCC.

Oknha Hann Khieng has warmly and proudly welcomed guests adding that his company also has partner from Malaysia. He further noted that Malaysia used to be a leading investor in Cambodia since the earlier 1990s until 2003. He encouraged that all participants to strengthen mutual cooperation and expand two-way investment, taking advantage of the business networking session and make new contacts, and exchange insights.

Mr. Borhanuddin Bin Ramli, has informed that the purpose of the trip to Cambodia this time is to get to study more about the current development of the situation in Cambodia in the midst of the crisis and by the way to explore new business opportunities.

At the conclusion Oknha Hann Khieng has expressed his high appreciation to Malaysian party for taking the time to study more about Cambodia and explore new business opportunities and voiced his hope that both parties will revisit their businesses perspective with fresh optimism, new ideas and useful information. Both parties articulated their gratefulness of the result of the discussion and look forward to further contact because business deals can’t be concluded in just one session.

Meeting between H.E. Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC and Vietnam Delegates led by Mr. Huynh Van Sang, Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Dong Thap Province

On 29 July 2009 at 09:30 am, Excellency Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC has met with Vietnamese delegates led Mr. Huynh Van Sang, Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Dong Thap Province to discuss about the possibility of co-organizing a dialogue between business people of Dong Thap province and business people of Cambodia.

At the meeting, both parties agreed as the following:

• The date of the above meeting will be held 17 September 2009;
• The venue will be at Cambodiana Hotel;
• Attendees is estimated at around 120 people;
• Vietnamese side will bear all the cost related to the event;
• The CCC will be responsible for inviting its members to attend this dialogue, booking the venue, arranging backdrop, hiring interpreter, booking food and refreshment, provide one speaker at the event, provide MC, invite media (TV), and witness at the MOU signing;
• Vietnamese side will finalize and forward detailed program and list of participants to the CCC no later than 15 August for comment and finalization.

At the conclusion Excellency Nguon Meng Tech has expressed his high appreciation to Vietnamese party for taking the lead in this event’s organizing and for putting its own resource to make this event possible for mutual benefit of both countries and people. Both parties expressed their gratefulness of the result of the discussion and look forward to their meeting in the coming event in September.

Meeting between Neak Oknha Kith Meng, President of the CCC and Professor Hon Dr Geoff Gallop AC

On 23 July 2009 at 11:45 am, Neank Oknha Kith Meng, President of the CCC has met with Professor Geoff Gallop, the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006 and currently as Professor and Director of Graduate School of Government University of Sydney.

At the meeting Mr. Gallop has briefed that University of Sydney has been selected by Australian Government to provide to Cambodian students GSG degree tailored and personalized – relevant to senior public sector employee. Unfortunately, he found that Cambodian student has very low capacity and does not meet qualification requirement to continue education in Australia. To correct the situation, Dr Geoff Gallop has proposed a workshop in Cambodia to raise awareness of this deficiency and take necessary measure to correct the situation.

Both Oknha Kith Meng and Dr Geoff Gallop have also touched upon overall economy and future prospect of Cambodia amidst the crisis. Oknha Kith Meng explained that despite the global downturn, the Cambodia economy remains in good shape underpinned by a continued increase in investment in agriculture, broad base development of non-agriculture sectors, political stability, active private sector participation, reform efforts, increased official development aids and sustained foreign direct investment. However, in order to attract more FDI Cambodia need to strengthen its competitiveness by keeping the cost low, strengthening the rule of laws, human resource trainings, infrastructure construction, i.e. road and bridge, irrigation and electricity, and communication to achieve more stable and solid development and enhance regional advantages accordingly.

Oknha Kith Meng has expressed gratefulness for the initiatives and regards it as a step to establish an effective mechanism, focusing on the development of skills qualification and competency, raising the standard to the internationally-recognized.

Summary of Meeting with AMEICC AEM-METI Economic and Industrial Cooperation Committee CCC Office, 10 July 2009

H.E. Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC met with delegates of KISMEC (Kedah Industrial Skills and Management Development Center of Malaysia), one of the Model COEs under AMEICC (ASEAN Economic Ministry – Japan METI economic and Industrial Cooperation Committee). The delegates comprised of three people led by Mr. Wan Ismail Ibrahim, Executive Director of the KISMEC.

The aim of the trip is to assess the training need of CLMV countries in the area of electrical and electronic skills in order to undertake ASEAN Common Standard Curriculum in the field of CERTICATE IN BASIC ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING for the benefits of Technical Institutes and Colleges and the Industrial Sector in these countries.

H.E. Nguon Meng Tech has expressed his warm welcome and gratefulness for the initiatives and regards it as a step to establish an effective mechanism, focusing on the development of skills qualification and competency to be commonly recognized in respective ASEAN Member Countries, which potentially can be the effective approach to facilitate regional skilled labour mobility as a goal of ASEAN economic integration.

Meeting with Mr. LL Koong, CEO of the K Konsult group
CCC Office, 10 July 2009

H.E. Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC met with Mr. LL Koong at 09:00 on the above date to discuss about the coming visit of the Chief Editor of Shang Hai Monthly magazine. Shang Hai Monthly is member of Star Group and is one of the most famous magazines in Malaysia published in mandarin and circulated widely to Chinese ethnic in Malaysia and Singapore. The Chief Editor of this magazine would like to do research and address the potential business opportunities hidden in the GMS region.

As part of the report the Shang Hai Monthly plans to interview four people including H.E. Nguon Meng Tech of the CCC, H.E. Ngy Tayi of the MEF, Mr. Van Souieng of GMAC and another private company to be identified later.

In response, H.E Nguon Meng Tech has appreciated for the kind assistance of Mr. LL Koong in promoting Cambodia to attract FDI and has accepted to meet for interview with the magazine on August 21, 2009 at 09:00 am at the CCC Office.

Meeting Between Director General of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and US Embassy Officials to discuss about preparation for a conference on Energy to be held at Intercontinental Hotel 29 – 30 September 2009

On July 08, 2009 at 9:00 am, there was a meeting between DG of the CCC and US Officials to discuss about preparation of a conference on energy to be held on 29 – 30 September 2009. The US Embassy will take the leads in organizing this conference by inviting speakers from US as well as from neighboring countries in the GMS region.

The Officials requested the CCC to invite as many as possible of its members in the energy sector to attend this conference. The CCC is welcomed to add on to the agenda more items if it thinks will be of necessity and relevant to the conference. The agenda will be sending to CCC soon for making comment.

H.E. Nguon Meng Tech has expressed his warm welcome for the initiatives and promised disseminate information and invite relevant CCC members to attend the above conference.

Tthe Liaison Officials’ Meeting in Preparation for the 6th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit Beijing 03 July, 2009

In response to the invitation of the CABIS Secretariat to mobilize the joint efforts to make CABIS more successful and a betterment, CCC on 2nd July, 2009 dispatched its Liaison Official, Mr. Keo Nimet, to attend the LO’s meeting in Beijing on July 03, 2009 to discuss preparation of the 6th China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit to be held in Nanning, Guangxi, China on October 20, 2009.

The meeting was attended by Liaison Officials from the 10 ASEAN countries and joined by representatives from China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At the welcoming remark, Mr. Yu Ping, Honorable Vice Chairman of CCPIT has reported that the 6th CABIS was proposed by H.E. Premier Wen Jiabao of the People’s Republic of China at the 7th China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders’ meeting on October 8th 2003, and as the result, the CABIS has been successfully held for five consecutive years at which 27 Chinese and ASEAN state leaders have attended the summit and delivered speeches.

It was reported that the summit has witnessed the presence of more than 500 ministerial officials, 7,600 business leaders, scholars and experts. CABIS has become the most influential and top level event for Chinese and ASEAN Business communities, an opportunity for state leaders from China and ASEAN for dialogue and a cooperation platform to publicize trade policies, promote cooperation projects, stage multilateral activities and exchange information. The summit has constituted one of the main focuses in China and ASEAN.

The theme of this year will be China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and ASEAN Integration: Cooperation for Mutual Development, with two topics – Jointly Cope with Crisis to Achieve Common Development and Market Opening & New Business Opportunity. China and ASEAN state leaders, senior officials and business leaders will again gather in Nanning the coming October.

The Meeting Between Director General of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and Korean Business Delegates

On July 08, 2009 at 10:00 am, H.E. Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the CCC has accepted to meet with the Korean Business Delegates comprise of five people, led by Mr. NJ Yoon, CEO of the Seoul Export-Import Corporation and Chairman of the Dongdaemon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr. Yoon explained the purpose of visiting Cambodia as to execute the agreement of agro-industrial Park that members of the delegation had with Cambodian partner in Pursat province. Mr. Yoon also emphasized that beside this trip to Pursat, he wish also to meet the Cambodian counterpart who had signed MOU with him and with other members of the Dongdaemon CCI. He said the meeting with these counterparts is to proceed one more step with those companies who had signed MOU with him in JEJU Island and at the same time to listen to the CCC of what it wants in term of Korean investment in Cambodia.

After welcoming and listening to the visitors, H.E Nguon Meng Tech expressed his desire to have the Korean investment to Cambodian economy and would like to see this trend moving up, while highlighted that Korea has been so-far the second-only to China in term of FDI. While Cambodia is diversify its growth base and looking at strengthening agricultural sector, he advised the visiting delegation to emphasize the investment on agro-industry and related sectors.

At the meeting, Mr. Yoon and his delegates had also promised to establish a factory producing rice-bag to supply to the Cambodian market so that Cambodian exporters would not have to import bags from neighboring countries again.

Tomorrow after visiting Kampong Spue province, the delegates also plan for a meeting with Oknha Srey Chanthou, Chairman of the 7NG Group and member of the CCC to discuss a possibility of joint venture on cattle farming, golf course development and resident farm house.

The Meeting Between Cambodian and Malaysian Businessmen on cross border investment mission to Cambodia

On July 01, 2009 at 9:30 am, a group of Malaysian businessmen (10 private companies and 3 government officials) led by Mr. Mohamad Hashim Abdul Ghani, Director of Cross Border Investment Promotion Division of Malaysia and a group of Cambodian businessmen (13 private companies) led by H.E. Nguon Meng Tech, Director General of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, has met to exchange business opportunities at the head office of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and to examine the possibility of business between the two parties.

At the meeting the Malaysian side has disclosed that it wish to do more research about Cambodia to explore more potential even though Malaysian has been closed to Cambodia market already.

Malaysian party has also clarified some of rules and regulations applicable to their business should it be concluded.

At the meeting H.E. Nguon Meng Tech has noted that Malaysian used to be a leading investor in Cambodia since this country emerged from a prolong civil war. Even with a more influx investment from China and Korea but Malaysia is still standing number three in Cambodia.

In conclusion, Mr. Mohamad Hashim Abdul Ghani, has appreciated the warm greeting by the CCC and its members and will take them into further consideration. Both Excellency Nguon Meng Tech and Mr. Mohamad Hashim Abdul Ghani expressed that business can not be concluded in just one session like this one but encouraged that both interested parties should continue to exchange until agreement can be reached.

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