Workers in a garment factory in Phnom Penh. Garments are Cambodia’s main export to the US. STPM
Representatives of the Cambodian and US governments held their first bilateral meeting to discuss trade and investment relations, with the meeting taking place one day before the official state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Cambodia, which begins today.
According to an April 16 Government Spokesperson Unit press release, Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) first vice-chairman Sun Chanthol and Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul led a Cambodian delegation during a video conference with ambassador Jamieson Greer, US trade representative.
The statement noted that the meeting was in response to an April letter from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet US President Donald Trump, which expressed Cambodia’s desire to engage in good-faith negotiations with the US.
“Both sides discussed ways to enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation and attached great importance of the commitment to engage in an open and constructive dialogue with also served as a foundation for negotiation toward achieving a fair and balanced trade relationship,” said the spokesperson unit statement.
“Both sides agreed to hold further meetings in the near future,” it added.
On April 3 (US time), Trump’s administration announced a plan to raise tariffs on imports from nearly all countries, effective April 9. However, as the date approached, Trump issued a 90-day delay to allow countries time to conduct bilateral negotiations with the US government.
Cambodia was assigned a tariff rate of 49%, the highest among ASEAN countries. The absurdly named “reciprocal tariff” rate was based on the 2024 bilateral trade imbalance between Cambodia and the US.
The General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE) reported that in 2024, trade between Cambodia and the US totalled $10.18 billion, an increase of 11.2%. Cambodia exported $9.9 billion to the US (an increase of 11.4%), while imports amounted to $264.15 million (up 2.7%).
Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Cambodia from April 17–18.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation called the state visit a significant event, further strengthening the traditional friendship built by successive leaders of both countries. The visit is also expected to deepen the "ironclad" friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations. China is the world’s second-largest economy, after the US.
The ministry also revealed that during Xi's visit, numerous documents are expected to be signed that will enhance cooperation across various sectors.
