British PM's trade envoy to visit Cambodia next week to promote trade, investment

Lord Puttnam

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister's Trade Envoy Lord Puttnam will visit Cambodia on Oct. 13-14 to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties, according to a statement from the British embassy here on Friday.

"I am delighted to be returning to Cambodia for my second visit in my role as the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Cambodia," he said in the statement before the visit.

"The United Kingdom is committed to deepening the trade relationship between our two counties, and exploring ways in which to share expertise in areas including creative industries and corporate and social responsibility of the private sector."

During the visit, Lord Puttnam will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Hun Sen and meet separately with Commerce Minister Sun Chanthol, Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron, Health Minister Mam Bunheng, and leaders of the parliamentary opposition, the statement said.

He will also meet representatives of British businesses in Cambodia.

Britain is the fourth largest investor in Cambodia. According to the report of the Council for the Development of Cambodia, Cambodia had received Britain's promised investment of 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in the last two decades.

The two-way trade volume surpassed 1 billion U.S. dollars last year.

Lord Puttnam, an Oscar-winning film producer, has been trade envoy to Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar since November 2012.

His first visit to Cambodia was in March, 2014.