Cambodia has commercial conversations with us, since the 49% tariff weighs in outlook

Cambodia has made its first round of commercial conversations with the United States in Washington, his government said Thursday, since he tries to negotiate one of the highest tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

The United States is the largest Cambodian export market, with the country of Southeast Asia facing important implications for its crucial textiles and the footwear manufacturing sector if it cannot negotiate a reduction in a 49%rate rate.

“Both parties exchanged their views frankly and constructively in an atmosphere of mutual understanding about ways of further strengthening bilateral trade and investment,” said the Cambodian government in a statement, adding that at the beginning of June a second round of conversations would be carried out.

He did not mention the tariffs and said that the conversations were carried out between his viceprimer Minister Sun Chanthol, Commerce Minister Cham Nimul and Sarah Ellerman, the American trade assistant representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The US Trade Representative Office did not immediately respond to a request for comments outside regular work hours.

The 49% Cambodian rate rate is the highest in the affected Southeast Asian countries, which are among the most affected.

Moody's last month changed his perspective for Cambodia to Stable negative, citing downward risks to his growth prospects given uncertainty about the tariffs of the United States.

Cambodia has a large commercial surplus with the United States, with its exports to the US market that represent 37.9% of its total shipments in 2024, which were valued at about $ 10 billion, according to official data.

A large part of that was clothing and footwear, a vital sector for its economy of $ 49.8 billion and a key employment source in manufacturing products for brands that include Adidas, H&M, Ralph Lauren and Lacoste.