Cambodia's trade with S. Korea, Vietnam surges in Q1

PHNOM PENH, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral trade between Cambodia and South Korea had surged by 35 percent in the first quarter of 2012, according to statistics of the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency in Phnom Penh on Saturday.

 During the January-March period this year, the total trade reached 160 million U.S. dollars, up 35 percent at the same period a year ago, it said.

Cambodia's exports to South Korea were 30 million U.S. dollars in the first quarter of this year, up 76 percent; and the country' s imports from South Korea 130 million U.S. dollars, up 29 percent. Cambodia's main products shipped to South Korea are garments, steel and metal products, and agricultural and forestry products. In return, the country imported garment and textile raw materials, automobiles, electronic goods, and chemical products.

Meanwhile, the Trade Office at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh reported that the two-way trade between Cambodia and Vietnam had amounted to 919 million U.S. dollars during the first quarter of this year, up 43 percent from 644 million U.S. dollars at the same period a year ago.

 Of the figures, Cambodia's export to Vietnam was 201 million U. S. dollars, up 57 percent, whilst Vietnam's export to Cambodia increased by 78 percent to 718 million U.S. dollars.

 Cambodia's products to Vietnam are unprocessed agricultural products such as rice, tobacco, corn, cassava and rubbers, whilst Vietnam exported petroleum, construction materials, IT equipment, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, and consumer products to Cambodia.