New Zealand Supports Cambodia’s Bid to Join CPTPP
New Zealand Supports Cambodia’s Bid to Join CPTPP
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28, 2026 — New Zealand has expressed support for Cambodia’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), signaling potential momentum for deeper economic cooperation and access to new markets.
The support was expressed by newly appointed New Zealand Ambassador to Cambodia Raylene Siale Tagaloa Liufalani during a meeting with Cambodian Minister of Commerce Cham Nimul in Phnom Penh on Monday, according to Cambodia’s state news agency AKP.
The two officials discussed ways to strengthen bilateral trade and economic cooperation, including through the effective implementation of existing free trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA).
Cham Nimul welcomed the new ambassador and expressed appreciation for New Zealand’s support for Cambodian human-resource development through scholarship programmes and technical assistance to strengthen implementation of trade agreements.
The two sides also noted the growth of bilateral trade and discussed opportunities to further expand commercial ties and cooperation.
Cambodia has been pursuing CPTPP membership with the expectation that accession could broaden market opportunities for Cambodian products.
Cambodian Senior Minister Sok Siphana previously said Cambodia was moving forward with negotiations to join the CPTPP following a recommendation from Prime Minister Hun Manet. He said membership could provide Cambodian products with access to additional markets, including Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru.
The CPTPP is currently composed of 12 economies: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
New Zealand, as a CPTPP member and depositary of the agreement, has a role in the accession process. Under the CPTPP rules, an aspiring economy must formally request accession, after which the CPTPP Commission decides whether to begin the accession process. A working group may then be established to assess whether the applicant can meet the agreement’s obligations.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade says prospective members must comply with the existing CPTPP agreement and meet its standards on areas including trade in goods and services, investment, government procurement and temporary entry for businesspersons.
The development comes as New Zealand’s new ambassador also seeks to strengthen broader bilateral cooperation with Cambodia. On Monday, she told Prime Minister Hun Manet that New Zealand and Cambodia were longstanding friends and partners and highlighted cooperation in areas including demining, water-resource management, climate change, agriculture, women and youth empowerment, and scholarships.
