(Phnom Penh): Casey Barnett, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia (AmCham), said that following the implementation of a new reciprocal tariff arrangement between Cambodia and the United States, the US exports to Cambodia increased by 96 per cent, with growth recorded in 54 product categories.

In a social media post on Tuesday (Jan. 20), Casey Barnett said Cambodia eliminated import tariffs on all US goods in August 2025 as part of efforts to reduce US reciprocal tariffs. As a result, US exports to Cambodia increased by 96 percent year-on-year during the period from August to December.

noted that exports rose in 54 out of 85 product categories, with the most significant growth recorded in refined petroleum products, which increased ninefold. He said the surge was partly driven by supply-chain risk diversification and a shift away from petroleum imports from Thailand amid ongoing border tensions.

Additional gains were recorded in US exports of dairy products, vehicles, plastics, paper, textile fibres, food products, machinery, and equipment, as Cambodian importers increasingly diversified sourcing away from Thailand.

Despite the tariff arrangement favoring the United States, Barnett pointed out that Cambodia exported USD 12.7 billion worth of goods to the US in 2024, while importing only about USD 300 million. He said the imbalance reflects Cambodia’s limited consumer purchasing power as well as regulatory and licensing barriers that restrict the entry of American products into the Cambodian market.

He added that a major component of the reciprocal trade framework focuses on governance reforms in Cambodia, including the establishment of an independent labour court, greater transparency in draft regulations, disclosure of official service fees, and stronger enforcement against counterfeiting. Although requested by the US, Barnett emphasized that these reforms primarily benefit Cambodia’s own economic development.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade between Cambodia and the United States exceeded USD 13 billion in 2025, marking a 29.24 percent increase from USD 10.17 billion in 2024. Cambodian exports to the US reached approximately USD 12.73 billion, up 28.48 percent, while imports from the US rose to more than USD 417 million, an increase of 57.83 percent.
=FRESH NEWS