Phnom Penh (FN), May 29 - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen encouraged Japanese bank Mizuho to provide loans to companies and small and medium enterprises in Cambodia in order to export processed products to Japan, aimed at promoting bilateral trade, speaking on Wednesday in a meeting with Seiji Imai, Senior Managing Executive Officer, Head of Global Corporate Company, Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

The Premier urged the bank to continue to provide loans to companies investing in Cambodia, especially the companies that produce and process Cambodia's raw materials for exports to Japan. He highlighted that he wanted to see more Cambodian products exported to Japan, particularly to see bilateral trade between the two rise from USD 2 billion to USD 5 billion.

“Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. is willing to encourage its clients, especially from Japan, to invest in Cambodia. The bank will start direct communications between Tokyo and Phnom Penh rather than going through Bangkok,” delegate minister Kao Kim Hourn quoted Seiji Imai.

Prime Minister Hun Sen pledged to provide an enabling investment climate for Japanese investors in Cambodia.

Mizuho Bank, one of largest banks in Japan, has started operations in Cambodia with its first branch in Phnom Penh in 2013 and received a license from the National Bank of Cambodia in 2017.
=FRESH NEWS