Cambodia–Malaysia Trade Surges 57% to Nearly $800 Million In First Half Of 2026

PHNOM PENH, July 17, 2026 (KPT) – Bilateral trade between Cambodia and Malaysia jumped nearly 57% year‑on‑year to US$795 million in the first half of 2026, underscoring stronger commercial ties and Cambodia’s ability to preserve key export markets, official data showed Friday.

The General Department of Customs and Excise said Cambodia exported goods worth almost US$113 million to Malaysia from January to June, up 64% compared with the same period last year. Imports from Malaysia reached US$682 million, rising 55.8% year‑on‑year.

Malaysia is Cambodia’s seventh‑largest trading partner, after China, the United States, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and Singapore.

Economic analyst Chey Tech said the sharp rise in imports reflected Cambodia’s shift away from Thai products amid border tensions and consumer boycotts, prompting importers to source more goods from alternative suppliers such as Malaysia.

Commerce Ministry spokesperson Penn Sovicheat said the expansion highlighted Cambodia’s success in maintaining major regional and global export markets. He noted the country had preserved stable value chains and supply chains while retaining the confidence of international buyers, contributing to steady external trade growth.

According to the ministry, Cambodia–Malaysia trade reached US$1.1 billion in 2025, up 24.66% from the previous year. Of that, Cambodia exported US$143 million worth of goods, a slight decline of 2.55%, while imports from Malaysia rose 30.25% to US$935 million.