Cambodia Pushes CP‑TPP to Bolster Trade Resilience Amid Global Uncertainty

PHNOM PENH, May 21, 2026 (KPT) — Senior Minister Sok Siphana said Wednesday Cambodia can no longer remain passive as global trade faces geopolitical fragmentation, rising tariffs, supply chain shifts and weakening multilateral mechanisms, urging faster preparations to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‑Pacific Partnership (CP‑TPP).

Speaking at a national consultation workshop, Siphana stressed that the government has elevated its CP‑TPP fact‑finding mission into a formal negotiating working group under Prime Minister Hun Manet, signaling a major political commitment to accession.

He warned the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement system remains impaired while major economies increasingly adopt unilateral measures and industrial policies driven by geopolitics.

“In this global environment, small open economies like Cambodia cannot afford to stand still,” he said. “We must be strategic, proactive, and pursue every opportunity to diversify trade and deepen integration into rules‑based frameworks.”

Siphana described the CP‑TPP as a strategic source of future growth, investment confidence and economic resilience. His remarks came as official data showed Cambodia’s exports surged 21.7 percent year‑on‑year to US$11.12 billion in the first four months of 2026, driven by garments, footwear, travel goods and agricultural products. Imports rose 18.3 percent to US$12.26 billion, bringing total trade to US$23.38 billion.

The workshop, supported by the Asian Development Bank, focuses on reforms required under the high‑standard pact, including customs, rules of origin, intellectual property, digital trade and investment regulations.