The Russian Journal of Vietnamese StudiesThe Russian Journal of Vietnamese Studies2618-9453Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the RAS8424910.24411/2618-9453-2018-10035Research ArticleCross-border trade between Cambodia and Vietnam and its impact on the economic developmentBurovaElena Sergeevnapostgraduate student, Institute of Asian and African Studies, Moscow Lomonosov State Universityepylcina@yandex.ruMoscow Lomonosov State University1512201824304231102021Copyright © 2018, Burova E.S.2018Currently, Vietnam is one of Cambodia's key trading partners and its role is steadily growing. During 2000-2016 the share of Vietnam in the volume of foreign trade of the country almost doubled. It became possible to achieve such impressive results of the mutual trade growth largely due to a wide practice of using both countries advantages of cross-border trade, which accounts for 80-90% of mutual trade. Cross-border trade between two countries has overcome several stages of development -from the level of self-organization and self-government to the development of state programs and the achievement of interstate agreements, which, in fact, have become the basis for regional policies to boost the economic development of the Great Mekong subregion, as well as backward frontier territories, with the subsequent creation of special frontier trade zones. Cross-border trade promotes economic development of border regions, foreign trade of the country as a whole and serves as a stimulating factor for the development of international integration processes. At the same time, it certainly has its negative consequences. It’s often "suspected" of having informal practices. And these "suspicions" are confirmed. In the border areas, smuggling and fraud have always existed and are still widespread. This report assesses the scale of cross-border trade, its organization, structure, and weighs the positive and negative consequences.volume of mutual tradetrading partnersstructure of cross-border tradespecial economic zonesдвусторонняя торговляторговые партнерыструктура приграничной торговлиСЭЗ[Association proposes stopping temporary import of sugar // Vietnam Investment review, 22.01.2018. URL: http://www.vir.com.vn/association-proposes-stopping-temporary-import-of-sugar-55763.html.][Doyle K. Cambodian rat meat: A growing export market // BBC, 24.08.2014. URL: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28863315.][Flow of smuggled goods across the Mekong river border. Part 1: Matrix' of illicit sugar, 22.07.2017. URL: http://customsnews.vn/flow-of-smuggled-goods-across-the-mekong-river-border-part-1-matrix-of-illicit-sugar-4117.html.][Heijmans P. Cigarette smuggling from Cambodia to Vietnam abounds // Phnom Penh Post, 15.02.2013. URL: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/cigarette-smuggling-cambodia-vietnam-abounds.][Illegal trade across Vietnam-Cambodia border // Thanh nien news, 13.05.2008. URL: www.thanhniennews.com.][Ramses A. Border Conflicts between Cambodia and Vietnam // IBRU Boundary and Security Bulletin, Summer 1997.][Sassoon A.M. Government timber figures belie ‘ban’ on exports // Phnom Penh Post, 28.03.2018. URL: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-timber-figures-belie-ban-exports.][Shelton T. Illegal wildlife booming // Phnom Penh Post, 23.02.2017. URL: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/illegal-wildlife-trade-booming.][Soumy P. Nearly 40 Tons of counterfeit cosmetics found in Phnom Penh // Cambodia Daily, 01.05.2017. URL: https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/nearly-40-tons-of-counterfeit-cosmetics-found-in-phnom-penh-128918.][Tatarski M. New report details enormous corruption, illegal logging along Vietnamese border with Cambodia. Mongabay, 08.05.2017. URL: https://news.mongabay.com/ 2017/05/new-report-details-enormous-corruption-illegal-logging-along-vietnamese-border-with-cambodia.][The Greater Mekong Subregion: Beyond Borders: Regional Cooperation Strategy and Program (2004-2008), ADB, 2004.][Tithara M. Migrant workers repatriated after working “hell” abroad // Phnom Penh Post, 19.08.2010. URL: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/migrant-workers-repatriated-after-working-‘hell’-abroad.][Tổng cục Hải quan Việt Nam [Главное таможенное управление Вьетнама]. URL: https://www.customs.gov.vn/Lists/ThongKeHaiQuan/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=1266&Category=Ph&Group=.][Trade Statistics, Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia. URL: www.moc.gov.kh.][Transport and Trade Facilitation in the Greater Mekong Subregion - Time to Shift Gears. ADB, 2008.][Vietnam, Cambodia promote border trade // Nhan Dan, 10.05.2018. URL: http://en.nhandan.com.vn/business/economy/item/6140702-vietnam-cambodia-promote-border-trade.html.][Warr P., Menon J. Cambodia’s special economic zones. ADB, 2015.][Wood C., Siziba C. The Potential for Border Development Zones (BDZs). ADB, 2017.]