Vietjet Launches Siem Reap-Hanoi Route; VinGroup's Taxi Plan Draws Controversy
Vietnam's leading airline, Vietjet Air, is officially inaugurating a new route connecting Hanoi and Siem Reap. The announcement of the new route coincided with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet's inaugural visit to Vietnam from December 11-12, 2023.
Vietjet Officially Launches Siem Reap-Hanoi Route. Image Credit: Vietjet Air. Commencing from December 15, 2023, the Hanoi-Siem Reap route will operate seven round-trip flights weekly, with each flight taking approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
During his state visit, Prime Minister Hun Manet engaged in discussions with leading Vietnamese companies, including Vingroup, Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG), Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BIDV), TRUONG HAI GROUP CORPORATION (THACO), Sovico Group, and Vietjet Air, exploring potential private sector collaborations.
Controversy Surrounds VinGroup's Plan To Deploy 2,500 Taxis In Cambodia
The meeting with Vingroup led to reports in the Cambodian media about the company's plan to introduce 2,500 electric vehicles (EVs) in Cambodia.
This move is part of Vingroup's broader expansion strategy announced in October 2023, which includes launching electric taxis in March 2024, initially in Phnom Penh, followed by Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
However, these reports sparked significant public discourse in Cambodia over concerns about potential job losses for locals following the implementation of this plan.
Contrary to the widespread reports, the Cambodian government's spokesperson unit later clarified that Prime Minister Hun Manet had not approved Vingroup's operation in Cambodia, addressing the public's apprehensions.
In a related development, VinFast, a Vietnamese EV manufacturer and part of Vingroup, outlined its intention to expand across Southeast Asia, including deploying 1,000 EVs in Laos. The company, listed on Nasdaq in August 2023, made headlines globally when its stock price escalated dramatically from USD $10 to a peak of USD $93 per share.
Cambodia-Vietnam Pledged Bilateral Trade Up To USD $20 BIllion
On December 11, 2023, the first day of the Cambodian Prime Minister's visit to Vietnam, he met with his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh, and the two leaders pledged to bolster bilateral trade between Cambodia and Vietnam to USD $20 billion in the coming year.
The leaders further committed to strengthening economic ties with a focus on infrastructure, institutions, and policies; expanding cross-border trade exchanges; and enhancing cooperation within the business community.
In tandem, the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with its Vietnamese counterparts, aiming to boost trade relations between the neighbouring nations.
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