Updated July 7, 2023
Cambodia
Overview
won 80% of commune council seats. The Candlelight Party,
The Department of State refers to the Kingdom of
a revived opposition party that has attracted former CNRP
Cambodia, located in mainland Southeast Asia, as
members, won 18%. In May 2023, Cambodia’s
“strategically significant.” Bilateral relations have become
Constitutional Council upheld a decision by the National
strained during the past decade, particularly as Cambodia’s
Election Committee that barred the Candlelight Party from
relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has
participating in the July 2023 national election for failing to
grown closer and after Prime Minister Hun Sen banned the
provide proper registration documents, which some outside
main opposition party in 2017. The U.S. government has
observers described as a politically-motivated move.
sought to remain engaged with Cambodia while calling on
Hun Sen to restore political rights and resist PRC influence.
Cambodian courts have convicted opposition leader and
The United States has imposed restrictions on some foreign
former CNRP President Sam Rainsy, who lives in self-
assistance in response to human rights concerns and it
imposed exile in France, of numerous crimes that many
continues to provide support to Cambodian civil society.
observers view as politically motivated. In October 2022,
Some observers contend that Cambodian civil society,
Sam Rainsy was convicted in absentia to life in prison, on
independent journalists, and urban youth are particularly
top of previous sentences. In April 2023, former CNRP
receptive to continued U.S. engagement.
Vice-President Kem Sokha was convicted of treason and
sentenced to 27 years of house arrest. Since 2021,
In 2017, the Cambodian government suspended Angkor
Cambodian courts have convicted over 115 opposition
Sentinel, an annual joint exercise between U.S. Army
politicians and activists of crimes against the state.
Pacific and the Royal Cambodian Army first held in 2010.
In 2018, the U.S. government suspended military assistance
Figure 1. Cambodia at a Glance
to Cambodia in response to its government’s suppression of
the political opposition.
Politics and Human Rights
Hun Sen has been the nation’s head of government for 38
years, including as premier of the Vietnam-backed Republic
of Kampuchea between 1985 and 1993. Since 1993, he has
headed the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and served as
prime minister of Cambodia, including as “co-premier”
between 1993 and 1997. In 2021, the CPP reportedly
endorsed the eldest son of Hun Sen, West Point graduate
Hun Manet, as his successor. Hun Manet reportedly aims to

run for a parliamentary seat in the next national election,
Source: CRS (map) and Central Intelligence Agency, The World
scheduled for July 23, 2023. A win, which is considered
Factbook, 2023.
highly probable, would make him eligible for the
premiership. The king of Cambodia and head of state, a
Since the lead up to the 2018 national election, Hun Sen has
largely symbolic figure, is Norodom Sihamoni, who
clamped down on civil society and circumscribed the space
succeeded his father in 2004.
for independent media. In 2017, the Cambodian Foreign
Ministry applied a restrictive new law on nongovernmental
Between 1993, when the United Nations administered
organizations (NGOs) to expel the U.S. government-funded
Cambodia’s first national election following the 1991 Paris
National Democratic Institute, which was engaged in
Agreements that ended the country’s civil war, and 2017,
democracy promotion programs in Cambodia, on the
democratic institutions and practices had gradually evolved
grounds that it was not registered with the government.
to allow widespread civic and political participation. During
Roughly 25 human rights NGOs still operate in Cambodia,
this period, Cambodia developed a vibrant civil society and
according to the Department of State, although they face
a relatively free print media. The opposition Cambodian
increasing repression. In 2017, the government closed more
National Rescue Party (CNRP) made significant gains in
than one dozen radio stations that sold airtime to U.S.
the 2013 parliamentary election and 2017 local elections. In
government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Asia.
November 2017, the Supreme Court of Cambodia,
allegedly at the behest of the government, issued a ruling
Human rights groups report that the Cambodian
that dissolved the CNRP for “conspiring with the United
government restricts freedom of expression and the press in
States to overthrow the government.” The CPP
various ways, including through defamation lawsuits,
subsequently won all 125 seats in the 2018 National
criminal prosecutions, tax penalties, disapproval of permits
Assembly election. In the 2022 local elections, the CPP
and licenses, and harassment of journalists. In February
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Cambodia
2023, the government revoked the media license of Voice
Ream Naval Base
of Democracy, a local radio and online media outlet, for
Since 2018, U.S. concerns have grown regarding PRC
“disseminating false information.” Some observers surmise
construction activities at Ream Naval Base. Some experts
that the action may be related to the outlet’s investigative
argue that China may aim to use Cambodia to project power
reporting on human rights issues.
further from the PRC mainland and to use Ream as a station
to service its naval vessels. Cambodian officials have
Economy and PRC Influence
emphasized that hosting a foreign military facility would be
Since the early 1990s, Cambodia has made progress on
unconstitutional, although the government may provide
some socioeconomic indicators, although it remains one of
access to multiple countries. PRC officials reportedly have
the poorest countries in Asia, and poverty and malnutrition
confirmed that “a portion of the base” would be used by the
in rural areas persist. The economy—which was largely
Chinese military, although they denied that Cambodia has
destroyed under the leadership of the Communist Party of
given China exclusive rights to Ream.
Kampuchea, also known as the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979),
and subsequent conflicts—achieved an average annual
Foreign Assistance and Sanctions
growth rate of 8% between 1998 and 2019, largely driven
Cambodia is heavily dependent upon foreign aid. Official
by foreign investment and the agricultural, garment,
Development Assistance (ODA) for Cambodia from
construction, real estate, and tourism sectors. Following a
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
downturn in 2020-2021 due to the Coronavirus Disease
member countries (not including China) and international
2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the economy has rebounded
financial institutions totaled $1.02 billion in 2021. The
somewhat, and the Asian Development Bank forecasts it
United States provided $100.5 million in assistance to
will achieve a growth rate of over 5.0% in 2023.
Cambodia in FY2022, mostly channeled through NGOs.
Major program areas include maternal and child health,
The United States is Cambodia’s second-largest trading
combating infectious diseases, basic education, human
partner after China, and its largest export market,
rights and democracy, reducing human trafficking,
purchasing 44% Cambodia’s exports in 2022, according to
economic growth, and natural resource management. Peace
the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Cambodian exports
Corps volunteers teach English and train English teachers in
to the United States totaled $12.2 billion in 2022, while
Cambodian villages. From 1993 to 2022, the U.S.
imports from the United States totaled $449 million. The
government provided $192 million for unexploded
largest Cambodian export items to the United States are
ordnance (UXO) removal and related programs. Cambodia
apparel and leather goods, and the largest U.S. import items
is among the countries most heavily contaminated by UXO
are vehicles. Hun Sen reportedly welcomes greater U.S.
left from U.S. bombing during the Vietnam War, the
investment. In 2022, the U.S.-Association of Southeast
Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1978, and civil wars
Asian Nations Business Council organized a delegation of
during the 1970s and 1980s.
U.S. companies to meet with Cambodian officials to discuss
expanding U.S.-Cambodian trade and investment ties. The
Since FY2017, State, Foreign Operations, and Related
garment sector—which is largely run by companies from
Programs appropriations legislation have placed conditions
China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan—forms a pillar of
on some U.S. assistance to Cambodia due to human rights
Cambodia’s economy, employing roughly one million
and other concerns. The Consolidated Appropriations Act,
workers, predominantly women. The EIU reported that
FY2023 (P.L. 117-328, Section 7043(b)) prohibits
garments and footwear accounted for 54.8% of Cambodian
assistance to the government of Cambodia unless the
goods exports in 2022.
Secretary of State certifies that Cambodia is taking effective
steps to assert its sovereignty against interference by the
China is Cambodia’s largest source of imports, including
PRC, including by verifiably maintaining the neutrality of
fabric for the kingdom’s garment industry, as well as its
Ream Naval Base; cease violence, threats, and harassment
largest foreign investor and a major source of financing,
against civil society and the political opposition; and
holding 42.7% of the kingdom’s foreign debt in 2021,
respect the rights, freedoms, and responsibilities enshrined
according to the EIU. PRC-backed infrastructure and
in the 1993 Constitution of Cambodia, among other
hydropower projects and business ventures have brought
provisions. In December 2021, the Commerce and State
some developmental benefits while also creating
Departments imposed export restrictions on U.S. national
environmental problems, contributing to corruption, and
security-controlled items and a ban on arms sales to
causing disruptions and dislocation among some local
Cambodia due to human rights concerns. Since 2018, the
communities. PRC investment has been particularly
U.S. government has sanctioned five Cambodian officials
concentrated in the city of Sihanoukville and elsewhere
and family members for corruption and human rights
along the Gulf of Thailand, with development projects
abuses pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which
including the construction of tourist and gambling resorts,
implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights
industrial zones, an international airport at Dara Sakor, and
Accountability Act (Title XII, Subtitle F of P.L. 114-328).
a deep-water seaport in Kampot province. U.S. analysts
For further information, see CRS Report R44037,
express concern that the airport and seaport could be used
Cambodia: Background and U.S. Relations.
for PRC military as well as civilian purposes. PRC
investors reportedly have left over 1,000 unfinished and
Thomas Lum, Specialist in Asian Affairs
abandoned buildings in Sihanoukville following the halt of
construction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
IF10238
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Cambodia


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10238 · VERSION 9 · UPDATED

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