An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 18, 2025 shows the Cambodia-China Mekong Kratie Friendship Bridge in Kratie province, Cambodia. (Shanghai Construction Group/Handout via Xinhua)
"As global trade faces headwinds, RCEP's inclusive framework provides a blueprint for stability, signaling that multilateralism, not fragmentation, remains a crucial path to common development and shared prosperity," Phea added.
PHNOM PENH, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Four years on, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement has continued to be a driving force for Cambodia's trade growth, a Cambodian official and experts said on Friday.
Cambodia's trade volume with the RCEP member countries amounted to 40.24 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 16.2 percent, said an official report from the Ministry of Commerce.
The Southeast Asian country's export to the fellow RCEP member countries reached 9.8 billion dollars last year, a year-on-year rise of 7 percent, as its import from the RCEP member countries was valued at 30.44 billion dollars, up 19.5 percent, the report said.
The report added that the RCEP remained the major market for Cambodia, accounting for 61.6 percent of the kingdom's total trade volume of 65.24 billion dollars in 2025.
An aerial drone photo shows a worker examining the quality of mango slices at a mango processing factory in Phnom Sruoch district in Kampong Speu province, Cambodia, March 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)
Cambodia's top five trading partners under the RCEP are China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan and Singapore, the report said.
Entered into force on Jan. 1, 2022, the RCEP comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries including 10 ASEAN member states, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and their five trading partners, namely China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's Secretary of State and Spokesperson Penn Sovicheat said the world's largest free trade deal has played a crucial role in boosting trade growth for Cambodia, the region and the world.
"The RCEP is a driving force for our long-term trade growth and a magnet to attract more foreign direct investment to Cambodia," he told Xinhua.
"In the RCEP, China is a huge market for Made-in-Cambodia products, and under this trade pact, our trade volume with China and other RCEP member countries will definitely continue to rise this year and beyond," he added.
An aerial drone photo taken on March 16, 2025 shows a view of Sihanoukville Port in Cambodia. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)
Thong Mengdavid, deputy director of the China-ASEAN Studies Center of the Cambodia University of Technology and Science, said the RCEP has unleashed its transformative potential in spurring Cambodian and regional economic growth, enhancing trade liberalization, and fostering deeper integration among its members.
"Over the past four years, tariffs on over 90 percent of goods traded among member countries have been gradually eliminated or significantly reduced, facilitating cost savings for businesses and consumers alike," he told Xinhua.
"Intra-regional trade has surged as businesses take advantage of streamlined customs procedures, simplified rules of origin and improved supply chain connectivity," he added.
Mengdavid said China's unwavering commitment to trade liberalization and open markets has set a solid foundation for the RCEP agreement.
An aerial drone photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a car arriving at the Phnom Penh toll station on the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway in Cambodia. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)
"China has not only adhered to its commitment under the RCEP, but also actively advanced regional cooperation through investments in infrastructure and digital trade," he said.
Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, a think tank under the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said RCEP has served as a stabilizing force, fostering economic integration across the Asia-Pacific region amidst the U.S.'s tariff hikes.
"In a world grappling with protectionism and geopolitical rivalries, RCEP stands as a testament to the enduring value of cooperation," he told Xinhua.
"As global trade faces headwinds, RCEP's inclusive framework provides a blueprint for stability, signaling that multilateralism, not fragmentation, remains a crucial path to common development and shared prosperity," Phea added.
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