At the opening of the 7th Cambodia International Gems and Jewellery Fair, Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An said that despite lagging behind Thailand and Vietnam, gem and jewellery exports could be used to boost economic growth and trade development.

“The figure of the international trade proves that the two countries [Vietnam & Thailand] are leading the development of pushing gem and jewellery exportation to the international market”, Sam An said at the Dimond Island Trade Centre yesterday.

According to Sam An, in 2013 the Kingdom traded around $100 million, which was much smaller when compared to the $23.8 billion worth of gems and jewellery trade done by Thailand and $1.12 billion by Vietnam in the same year.

Lim Chhiv Ho, director of the Cambodian Gems and Jewellery Traders Association, said the exhibition aims at supporting trade activities in gems and jewellery.

“This event was set up not for making the profit, but it is to strengthen the cooperation, to share trade activities, to build the opportunity, to find partner, and to attract foreign investor to invest more in Cambodia.”

The fair hosts around 500 exhibitors from countries including Hong Kong, Macau, England, Japan, Singapore, the US and Thailand.