(Phnom Penh): On Saturday afternoon (May 10), Sun Chanthol, First Vice-Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) and Chairman of the Cambodia–US Bilateral Trade and Investment Coordination Working Group, led a delegation to the United States to engage in negotiations on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) between Cambodia and the US.

The negotiations are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., from 13-15 May 2025. This mission follows two previous virtual working meetings held via Zoom with representatives from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

The first virtual meeting was convened on 16 April 2025 at the CDC headquarters, chaired by Minister Sun Chanthol, with participation from the minister of commerce and the minister delegate attached to the prime minister, who also serves as director general of the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia. The meeting was conducted via Zoom with Jamieson Greer, the US Chief Trade Negotiator. It was held in response to a letter from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, sent to US President Donald J. Trump on 4 April 2025, expressing Cambodia’s interest in initiating trade negotiations with the United States.

The second virtual meeting was held on 2 May 2025 at the CDC headquarters, again chaired by Sun Chanthol, and attended by the same senior officials. This session was conducted with Sarah Ellerman, USTR Deputy Assistant for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Discussions focused on reviewing progress and preparing for the upcoming in-person negotiations on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, scheduled for 14–15 May 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Currently, the Cambodian side, through the Cambodia–US Bilateral Trade and Investment Coordination Working Group led by the deputy prime minister, is fully prepared in line with the high-level vision and strategic foresight of Samdech Thipadei. The delegation is committed to participating in these comprehensive bilateral negotiations, with the aim of fostering deeper, fairer, and more balanced trade relations that benefit the peoples of both nations.

Additionally, the Royal Government of Cambodia has reaffirmed its strong commitment to strengthening regulatory frameworks to prevent and combat the falsification of goods’ origin. Measures to enhance enforcement of rules of origin transparency for exports to the US market have been promoted. These efforts include the issuance of a joint inter-ministerial proclamation by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Commerce on preventive and punitive measures against the falsification of origin, as well as a separate proclamation by the Ministry of Commerce outlining procedures for requesting and issuing certificates of origin for goods exported to the United States.
=FRESH NEWS