AKP Phnom Penh, October 17, 2026 --

According to data released by Cambodia’s Ministry of Commerce, the country’s total trade reached US$58.49 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 22.1 percent year on year. Exports rose 18 percent to US$27.47 billion, while imports increased 26 percent to US$31.01 billion, reflecting continued expansion in Cambodia’s foreign trade.

China remains Cambodia’s largest trading partner. According to the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia, bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$17.58 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up about 23.8 percent year on year. Cambodia’s exports to China rose 28.7 percent to US$1.52 billion, while imports from China grew 23.3 percent to US$16.06 billion.

By product category, Cambodia’s exports to China include agricultural products, furniture, jewelry and textiles, while its imports from China cover industrial raw materials, machinery and equipment, construction materials, electronics, vehicles and consumer goods. The trade mix reflects the extensive ties between the two countries in agricultural trade, industrial production and consumer markets.

Over the same period, Cambodia’s trade with members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) reached US$35.79 billion, up 21.3 percent year on year. The Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) and RCEP provide an institutional framework for bilateral trade and regional economic cooperation, helping to expand market access, promote trade and investment, and strengthen regional supply chain integration.

Speaking at the 2026 Future Investment Conference in Xiamen, China, in September, H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia and First Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), described China as an important strategic partner of Cambodia. He noted that the CCFTA and RCEP play a significant role in expanding markets, promoting trade, enhancing regional supply chain resilience, and creating more opportunities for businesses and investors in both countries.

Economic cooperation between Cambodia and China is expected to deepen further as Cambodia improves its investment environment, leverages its workforce and strategic location, and facilitates trade. This will create more opportunities for economic development and industrial integration in both countries.

By Freya Song, Special Correspondent for AKP