The visit, which ran from October 20th to 21st, is part of a regional tour across Southeast Asia—including Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos—and builds on progress made under the UK–Cambodia Joint Trade and Investment Forum (JTIF), the main platform for bilateral economic coordination.

A highlight of the mission was the Trade Envoy’s attendance yesterday, October 20th, at the inauguration of Techo International Airport. The landmark infrastructure project, designed by the UK firm Foster + Partners, symbolizes the United Kingdom’s significant contribution to Cambodia’s long-term growth and connectivity.

Later yesterday, H.E. Western attended a luncheon hosted by H.E. Samheng Bora, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce. The officials discussed advancing bilateral trade cooperation to a higher level, focusing on inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth and the development of green Special Economic Zones. They also reviewed technical cooperation under the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP), aligning with the development visions of both nations. The discussions served as crucial preparation for the upcoming 3rd Cambodia-UK Trade and Investment Forum.

Today, H.E. Western is scheduled to meet with other senior Cambodian officials to follow up on Cambodia’s trade policy. Discussions are set to cover the regional trade architecture, particularly developments concerning the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and ways to enhance Cambodia–UK cooperation in regional trade integration.

The Envoy will also engage with British businesses operating in Cambodia to highlight their contributions to job creation, innovation, and sustainable growth. Furthermore, he is meeting with UK education institutions active in Cambodia to discuss their role in developing skills, improving employability and social mobility, and supporting inclusive growth.

The diplomatic efforts come amid a positive trajectory for bilateral trade. In the first nine months of this year, the UK ranked as Cambodia’s ninth-largest foreign trade partner. Total trade between the two countries reached more than US$824 million from January to September, marking a 4.9 percent increase year-on-year. Notably, Cambodia’s exports to the UK were valued at US$786 million, up 5.4 percent for the period.

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The new measures are expected to benefit both British consumers and businesses by lowering prices on everyday goods. Simultaneously, they aim to support jobs and economic growth in some of the world’s poorest nations.

Key upgrades include simplified rules of origin, which will allow more goods from countries such as Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines to enter the UK without tariffs, even if components are sourced from across Asia and Africa. This also ensures that nations like Bangladesh and Cambodia will continue to benefit from zero tariffs on products like garments and electronics.

A press release from the British Embassy stated that “New measures will make it easier for developing countries to trade, supporting jobs and economic growth in the UK overseas.”

These new preferential tariff measures are an enhancement to the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which was launched in 2023 following the UK’s departure from the EU. Cambodia is already a beneficiary of this scheme. The DCTS is the UK’s primary trade preference scheme, covering 65 countries and offering reduced or zero tariffs on thousands of products.

H.E. Jenny Chapman, Minister for International Development, emphasized a changing global dynamic. She stated that countries in the Global South desire a different relationship with the UK, one focused on being a trading partner and investor rather than a donor.

“These new rules will make it easier for developing countries to trade more closely with the UK. This is good for their economies and for UK consumers and businesses,” she added.

Trade Between the UK and Cambodia

The UK stands as Cambodia’s seventh-largest export market, trailing only the United States, Vietnam, China, Japan, Canada, Indonesia, Germany, and Spain.

Bilateral trade between the two nations reached approximately US$515 million in the first six months of 2025, marking a 13.2 percent increase compared to the same period last year. During this period, Cambodia’s exports to the UK accounted for US$489 million, a year-on-year increase of 14.7 percent, according to a report from the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia.

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Dr. Pornmoniroth expressed his appreciation for the UK’s support: “I expressed my deep gratitude for the cooperation between the two countries in the past, especially the UK’s support for Cambodia’s exports and the initiative of the Green SEZ project in Cambodia, contributing to the socio-economic development of Cambodia.”

He also briefed the Minister on Cambodia’s economic progress, including continued macroeconomic stability and the launch of the Pentagonal Strategy. Dr. Pornmoniroth outlined Cambodia’s reform plans aimed at achieving high-income status by 2050.

The UK Minister affirmed their commitment to deeper cooperation: “Rt Hon. Anne-Marie Trevelyan highly valued the significant progress of the Cambodia-UK cooperation and expressed the UK’s commitment to further strengthen and expand existing cooperation and promote investment in Cambodia, particularly the development of the Green SEZ and the efforts to attract new British investors to Cambodia.”

Both parties discussed potential reforms to attract more foreign investment, focusing on areas like business registration, financial support, and debt management.

Trade figures show a slight decrease however, the bilateral trade between Cambodia and the UK reached US$872 million in 2023, a 10.7% decrease compared to the previous year. Cambodia’s exports to the UK declined by 10.2%, while imports from the UK fell by 15.9%.

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In the meeting, both sides stressed India’s support for infrastructure development projects in Cambodia, facilitation of direct flights from India to Cambodia, and acceleration of procedures for the establishment of the Cambodia-India free trade agreement.

H.E. Sun Chanthol asked the Indian Embassy for cooperation in enabling a Cambodian delegation to travel to India to meet Indian investors and show them the main potential that made them choose Cambodia as their investment destination.

He also laid stress on Cambodia’s potential master plan for Indian investors to examine the feasibility of selecting their investment projects from the Comprehensive Intermodal Transport and Logistics System Master Plan 2023-2033, a collection of seven integrated master plans, including road, railway, waterway, port, logistics, air transport, and intermodal transport master plans.

After observing the good cooperation between Cambodia and other countries toward the establishment of special economic zones, such as the Cambodia-Japan Special Economic Zone, and the Cambodia-UK Green Special Economic Zone, H.E. Ms. Devyani Uttam Khobragade expressed her interest in seeing the Cambodia-India Special Economic Zone with technology investment projects as a core.

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The request was raised here at the Peace Palace this morning when Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet received H.E. Dominic Williams, British Ambassador to Cambodia.

In the meeting, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expressed thanks to the UK for launching the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) project and asked the UK to examine the possibility of importing agro-products from Cambodia besides textiles and footwear.

The Premier also highlighted Cambodia’s support for green economy and renewable energy and expressed satisfaction over the cooperation between the two countries in these areas in the future. He also expressed his expectation that Cambodia-UK cooperation will continue to flourish in all areas, especially in the area of trade, which will allow Cambodia to expand more new markets in the UK.

For the defense sector, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet expected closer cooperation in training, joint exercises, and visits of UK naval vessels.

At the same time, the Prime Minister assured that even though Cambodia has a new Royal Government, its foreign policy, especially in the relationship between Cambodia and the UK, will not change.

For his part, H.E. Dominic Williams congratulated Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet on his assumption of office as the Prime Minister of Cambodia and on the 70th anniversary of Cambodia-UK diplomatic ties, with growing relations between the two countries in all fields.

H.E. Dominic Williams mentioned in the meeting that in 2023, in the field of education, there are three British schools, including a university in Cambodia.

H.E. Ambassador also underlined DCTS, which, he said, is a new system that replaces the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) after Britain leaves the EU.

H.E. Dominic Williams reaffirmed that the UK remains committed to supporting demining activities in Cambodia until 2025.

In addition, the British side suggested the study of the possibility of joint cooperation in two areas in the Pentagon Strategy Phase 1, namely the green economy and renewable energy sectors. He hoped that the Cambodia-UK cooperation would further develop in all areas and sectors, including politics.

The ambassador also took note of the success of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, assessing that this is the end of a dark page in history, while Cambodia is progressing in all areas as today.

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During her stay in Cambodia, she will meet with Cambodian ministers and British and Cambodian businesses to explore opportunities to strengthen the commercial relationship and support Cambodia’s sustainable development and transition from Least Developed Countries (LDC) status, stated the press release.

The UK sees huge potential to deploy green investment and encourage Cambodian exports, under the UK’s “Developing Country Trading Scheme”, to increase Cambodia’s competitiveness and increase incomes for Cambodians, the source pointed out.

“It is fantastic to return to my new role as Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment relationship with Cambodia,” UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy MP Heather Wheeler spoke ahead of the visit.

This year is an exciting year for UK-Cambodia trade and investment as the two countries celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations, she added.

“We have launched our inaugural Joint Trade and Investment Forum, prioritized Cambodia as part of our international British Investment Partnerships work, and encouraged even more fantastic Cambodian producers to use the Developing Countries Trading Scheme to export to the UK,” she said.

She will join the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports in presiding over the launching ceremony of the first-ever UK university branch campus in Cambodia, a truly historic moment and a sign of the UK’s ongoing commitment to Cambodia, underlined the statement.

“We will continue to work closely with our Cambodian partners to promote trade opportunities between our two countries,” it said.

UK-Cambodia trade in 2022 had recovered to its pre-pandemic levels of over US$1 billion. Cambodian exports to the UK are predominantly made up of garments, footwear, and bicycles.

Cambodia qualifies for Comprehensive Preferences under the UK’s recently launched Developing Countries Trading Scheme – this gives Cambodia duty-free, quota-free access to the UK market for 99 percent of product lines.

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The forum’s opening ceremony was attended by around 40 people, including representatives from various relevant institutions and the Cambodian-British Chamber of Commerce.

The Minister of Commerce expressed his enthusiasm towards the positive impact it will have on Cambodia-UK trade cooperation.

The first forum will address the current economic policies of both governments, with a focus on preferential tariffs for developing countries (DCTS) and Cambodia’s new investment law for promoting national economic diversification and green growth.

The forum also included a trade policy meeting between representatives of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the British Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, the representative of the Royal Government of the United Kingdom, and the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce.

Their aim was to update each other on trade policy and seek new opportunities to improve trade, goods, services, and investment between both countries.

The United Kingdom has been a significant trading partner with Cambodia, with the 2022 trade volume predicted to reach $977.43 million, a growth of 24.42% compared to 2021 as per the Customs and Excise Department of Cambodia.

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The discussion took place on Jan. 25 during a courtesy meeting between H.E. Pan Sorasak, Minister of Commerce, and H.E. Dominic Williams, newly appointed British Ambassador to Cambodia, at the ministry.

The minister congratulated the ambassador on his role and thanked the U.K. for its support, especially on trade, health, education, financial management, infrastructure development, and COVID-19 containment in Cambodia.

He also expressed his appreciation of the U.K.’s new preferential tariff system for developing countries, including Cambodia, contributing positively to Cambodia’s export and employment, and encouraged U.K. more trade and investment in agricultural products, food, and agro-industry in Cambodia.

H.E. Dominic Williams reaffirmed U.K. commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including through trade and investment.

The UK is an important market for Cambodia and the two-way trade volume reached US$1 billion in 2022, an increase of about 24 percent compared to US$786 million in 2021.

The main exports from Cambodia to the U.K. include garments, footwear, bicycles, and agricultural products while the key imports from the U.K. to Cambodia are machinery, pharmaceuticals, and beverages.

Source: AKP

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