Hong Kong Seeks Cambodia’s Support for Its Participation in ACFTA

            On 30 October, Hong Kong Secretary for Economic Development and Trade Gregory So met with commerce Minister Cham Prasidh to lobby support for its request for accession to the ASEAN – China Free Trade (ACFTA). Cham Prasidh expressed his welcome and said that the Hong Kong' s request for accession to the ACFTA is very important, but there are some complications relevant to legal frameworks and conditions because Hong Kong is in China, and China has already had a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN. As the chair of ASEAN, Cambodia will act as a neutral mediator to seek win-win solutions for all, Minister Cham highlighted, advising Hong Kong to set up an expert team in order to initiate talks in the framework of ASEAN+2 (ASEAN+China and Hong Kong) on that matter. Based on CDC, as of this first semester, Hong Kong investment capital in Cambodia was totaled around US$36.8 M. (Rasmei Kam, 01 November 2012)