Cambodia and Australia Pledge to Deepen Bilateral Cooperation Across Trade, Security, and Human Development

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (Oct.28, 2025) — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties during a meeting on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia on Oct. 27, 2025.

The two leaders agreed to expand cooperation in key areas including trade, education, defense, cybersecurity, and people-to-people exchange. Prime Minister Hun Manet praised the growing partnership, noting that bilateral trade reached nearly $600 million in 2024, and thanked Australia for increasing its scholarship quota for Cambodian students from 50 to 62 for 2025.

Defense collaboration was also highlighted, with the recent docking of the HMAS Ballarat at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port and its visit to Ream Naval Base earlier in October seen as a symbol of growing maritime engagement.

Prime Minister Albanese echoed the sentiment, writing on social media: “Australia is one of Cambodia’s oldest diplomatic relationships. For more than 70 years, we’ve been working with Cambodia to make a difference — from health to education, to promoting and protecting all human rights.” He added, “Today I discussed with Prime Minister Hun Manet how we could build on this work. I also welcomed the peace agreement between Cambodia and Thailand, including its facilitation by Malaysia and the United States.”

Both sides pledged to continue expanding cooperation for mutual benefit and regional stability.