In the first ten months of 2025, Cambodia’s trade with China reached USD 15.9 billion, a 33.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024, while trade with the US reached USD 10.7 billion, a 27% increase. China remained Cambodia’s largest trading partner, while the US maintained its position as the Kingdom’s largest export destination.
Bilateral Trade with China: January-October 2025
- Exports to China: USD 1.3 billion (-6.6% YoY)
- Imports from China: USD 14.6 billion (+33.5% YoY)
- Total bilateral trade: USD 15.9 billion (+33.3% YoY)
Cambodia’s imports from China consisted primarily of raw materials for manufacturing, infrastructure projects, and domestic industries. China supplies over 80% of Cambodia’s textile raw material inputs, including knitted or crocheted fabric, manmade staple fibres and filaments, cotton and cotton yarn, accessories, and dyeing extracts and pigments.
Bilateral Trade with the US: January-October 2025
- Exports to US: USD 10.4 billion (+26.4% YoY)
- Imports from US: USD 326 million (+49.7% YoY)
- Total bilateral trade: USD 10.7 billion (+27% YoY)
Cambodia’s exports to the US include textiles, garments, footwear, travel bags, agricultural products, electronics, electrical equipment, rubber tyres, and plastic and rubber articles. The textile and garment sector remains the dominant export category.
Trade Balance Dynamics
Cambodia operates with a trade surplus with the US and a trade deficit with China. The Kingdom imports raw materials and intermediate goods from China for processing into finished products, which are then exported primarily to the US market.
Manufacturing Supply Chain
Chinese exports to Cambodia directly enable finished goods exports to the US. The textile and garment manufacturing supply chain relies on imported raw materials from China due to limited domestic supply. Chinese-owned factories have relocated to Cambodia as part of supply chain diversification strategies.
Insights
Cambodia’s trade patterns reflect its role as a manufacturing hub that imports raw materials from China and exports finished goods primarily to the US. The USD 13.3 billion trade deficit with China corresponds with a USD 10.1 billion trade surplus with the US, indicating a processing trade model. Import growth from China (33.5%) outpaced export growth to the US (26.4%), widening the raw material dependency. The 49.7% surge in US imports to Cambodia following the trade agreement suggests increasing American product penetration in the Cambodian market.
Source:
- General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE)
- Cambodia’s trade with US, China surges in 10 months – Khmer Times