Phnom penh: The Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) convened a high-level forum on Thursday to strategise on sustaining and expanding trade and investment relations with the United States.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the event, titled ‘Investment and Trade with the United States,’ brought together senior Royal Government officials and private sector leaders to address challenges and opportunities in the bilateral economic relationship amid a rapidly shifting global trade environment.

Presided over by Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Sun Chanthol, First Vice President of the CDC, the forum underscored the critical need for public-private collaboration to safeguard Cambodia’s competitive edge. In his keynote address, H.E. Sun Chanthol highlighted the growth of Cambodian exports to the U.S. market. He credited sustained diplomatic efforts, under the guidance of Cambodia’s Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, for influencing the U.S. decision to reduce its preferential tariff rate on Cambodian goods to 19 percent.

‘This measure has been instrumental in preserving the Kingdom’s attractiveness for investment and its access to the American consumers,’ the Deputy Prime Minister stated. Emphasising the forum’s importance for Cambodia’s economic future, H.E. Sun Chanthol urged participants to engage in discussions aimed at generating innovative ideas.

He expressed optimism that the outcomes would help secure market positions, attract higher-quality investment, and further diversify the national economy. The gathering featured prominent attendees including the Director-General of the General Department of Customs and Excise, the President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, and the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, alongside other distinguished national and international guests.