The Hoa Lu – Trapeang Sre border gate between Vietnam’s southern Binh Phuoc Province and Cambodia’s Trapeang Sre Province was opened to traffic yesterday, under the Road Transport Agreement between the two countries.
Viet Nam and Cambodia yesterday opened another pair of border posts, Hoa Lu in Viet Nam's Binh Phuoc Province and Trapeang Sre in Cambodia's Kratie Province.
This is the fifth of seven pairs of border posts the two countries agreed to open under a road transport agreement signed in 1998 and a protocol signed in 2005.
Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Ngoc Dong said the gates would not only facilitate trade and economic development between the two border provinces, but also improve co-operation between the two countries.
Last year, two-way trade between Viet Nam and Cambodia was US$1.83 billion. At present, Viet Nam is the fourth biggest importer of Cambodian goods and Cambodia is the 16th largest importer of goods from Viet Nam.
Bui Van Thach, deputy head of the provincial People’s Committee, said vehicles from Vietnam and Cambodia would no longer have to stop at the border for transshipment, but are now allowed to pass through the gate into each other’s territories.
This would help reduce transport cost and time, marking a new stage for the eco-social development and cultural exchange between the two countries, he said.
The connected traffic would enable Binh Phuoc to connect Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands with the Cambodian provinces and other neighboring countries.
The four border points currently open for road transport between the two countries are Moc Bai - Bavet (Tay Ninh and Svay Rieng provinces), Tinh Bien-Phnom Den (An Giang and Takeo provinces), Xa Xia - Prek Chak (Kien Giang, Lork, Kam Pot provinces), and Xa Mat -Trapeing (Tay Ninh and Kampong Cham provinces).
Two other pairs of border crossings are expected to open later this year, including Le Thanh - Oyadav (Gia Lai and Andong Pich - Ratanakiri provinces) and Bu Prang - O Raaing (Dak Nong and Mundulkiri provinces).
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