The CDC’s Sun Chanthol and commerce minister Cham Nimul during in a meeting with US representative Adrian Smith. CDC
A Cambodian delegation which is currently in the US to negotiate tariffs and improve bilateral trade between the two countries has found time to hold at least six meetings with US government and congressional leaders to discuss potentially increasing direct investment in the Kingdom.
The delegation is being led by Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, who also serves as first vice-president of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), and Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul.
They participated in the first round of negotiations on a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), held from May 13 to 14, 2025. The US side was led by Sarah Ellerman, assistant US trade representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
The goal of the meeting was to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral trade and investment relations, with a particular focus on import tariff rates. On April 2, the US administration of President Donald trump announced a blanket 49% tariff on Cambodian imports, before pausing it for 90 days, ostensibly to allow for negotiations to be held.
According to Chanthol, in addition to the meeting with the US trade commission, the delegation also held working meetings with key US officials.
They included Senator Tammy Duckworth, Ted Osius, president and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC), representative Carol Miller, representative Adam Smith, representative Beth Van Duyne, who serves on both the House Ways and Means Committee and the Small Business Committee, and representative Adrian Smith, chairman of the Trade Subcommittee under the House Ways and Means Committee.
Via social media, Chanthol explained that the purpose of the meetings was to strengthen the existing cooperation between Cambodia and the US, while exploring new opportunities to deepen the bilateral relationship for the mutual benefit of both nations. The discussions also examined the possibility of increasing US private investment in the Kingdom.
“Cambodia is a country with many advantages for American companies to invest in, including a young labour force and a strong commitment from the Royal Government to facilitate private sector operations,” he said.
Hong Vanak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post on May 21 that the discussions are vital for showcasing Cambodia’s investment potential to American officials and investors.
He noted that currently, the US is Cambodia’s largest export market, predominantly of garments, travel bags, footwear, bicycles and vehicle tyres.
“This kind of direct promotion will have many positive impacts for Cambodia, especially since some US investors are already active here,” he said.
“If the tariff negotiations between the two governments yield positive results, more American investors will likely consider investing here,” he added.
According to the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), in 2024, total trade between Cambodia and the US was $10.18 billion, an 11.2% increase over 2023. Exports to the US were valued at $9.9 billion, up 11.4%, while US imports were worth $264.14 million.
In the first four months of 2025, trade between the two countries reached $3.3 billion, up 22.6% over the same period in 2024. Exports amounted to $3.2 billion, up 22.3%, while imports totalled $97.82 million, an increase of 34.8%.
