Cambodia Attracts $1.5B in Chinese Investment Through July 2026
Cambodia Attracts $1.5B in Chinese Investment Through July 2026
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 1, 2026 — Chinese investment in Cambodia reached approximately US$1.5 billion during the first seven months of 2026, with the majority of investment concentrated in the manufacturing sector, according to Chea Vuthy, Secretary-General of the Cambodian Investment Board under the Council for the Development of Cambodia.
Speaking at the China-ASEAN Business Leaders’ Summit in Phnom Penh on Tuesday, Chea Vuthy said China remained Cambodia’s largest source of investment, accounting for approximately 83% of Cambodia’s total investment capital in 2025.
Major Chinese-backed projects include factories producing medical packaging, vehicle tyres and auto parts, as well as facilities manufacturing and assembling electrical and electronic equipment.
Chinese investment has also supported major infrastructure projects, including the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway and Siem Reap Angkor International Airport.
Chea Vuthy said the investment was generating more than capital inflows, contributing to new production activities, job creation, increased exports and Cambodia’s deeper integration into regional supply chains.
He highlighted the growing use of Cambodian raw materials by Chinese-invested manufacturers as an example of the type of local economic linkage Cambodia wants to see expanded. He called for greater participation by domestic suppliers, technology and knowledge transfer, skills training and increased value-added production inside Cambodia.
The Cambodian official also said the expanding investment relationship reflected the longstanding Cambodia-China partnership, which dates back to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1959. He described the Diamond Hexagon cooperation framework, established in 2023, as opening new opportunities for cooperation across multiple sectors.
The latest figures come as Cambodia and China seek to deepen business and investment cooperation amid wider regional supply-chain shifts.
More than 300 entrepreneurs, industry representatives and think-tank experts from China and ASEAN attended the China-ASEAN Business Leaders’ Summit in Phnom Penh.
