Phnom Penh: The Ad Hoc Cambodia-U.S. Bilateral Relations Coordination Working Group is set to travel to the United States in mid-May to engage in direct negotiations over the new U.S. tariff rates. This morning, at the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), the Working Group led by H.E. SUN Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the CDC and H.E. Mrs. CHAM Nimul, Minister of Commerce, held via virtual conference a meeting with the United States Trade Representative (USTR), led by Ms. Sarah Ellerman, Assistant USTR for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, a press release from the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit issued following the virtual meeting emphasized the discussion on the work progress and the preparation for the upcoming bilateral negotiations, which are due to take place on May 14-15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The document highlighted the ongoing commitment from the Cambodian government, led by Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN Manet, to work closely with the United States to foster a mutually beneficial trade and investment relationship.
The forthcoming negotiations are a response to the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump on April 2, regarding new reciprocal tariffs on the country's trading partners. Initially, a 49 percent tariff was imposed on imports from Cambodia. However, on April 9, the U.S. government approved a 90-day temporary suspension of the full tariff, reducing it to 10 percent for countries, including Cambodia, that have officially sought to negotiate a solution with the U.S.