Updated August 22, 2023
Cambodia
Overview: U.S.-Cambodia Relations
Meanwhile, Hun Sen employed a variety of means to stay
The Department of State refers to the Kingdom of
in power, including through electoral victories; legal and
Cambodia, located in mainland Southeast Asia, as
extralegal political maneuvers; influence over the judiciary,
“strategically significant.” Bilateral relations have become
broadcast media, and labor unions; patronage; cronyism;
strained during the past decade, as Cambodia’s relationship
violence; and intimidation.
with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has grown
closer and after former Prime Minister Hun Sen banned the
In November 2017, the Supreme Court of Cambodia issued
main opposition party in 2017. The U.S. government has
a ruling that dissolved the CNRP for “conspiring with the
sought to remain engaged with Cambodia while calling on
United States to overthrow the government.” The CPP
the Cambodian government to restore democratic rights and
subsequently won all 125 seats in the 2018 National
resist PRC influence. The United States has imposed
Assembly election. In the July 2023 general election, the
restrictions on some foreign assistance to Cambodia in
CPP, which faced little competition due to its suppression
response to human rights concerns while continuing to
of opposition groups, won 120 of 125 seats in the National
provide support to Cambodian civil society. Some
Assembly. The State Department released a statement
observers contend that Cambodian civil society,
declaring, “The United States is troubled that the July 23
independent journalists, and urban youth may be
Cambodian national elections were neither free nor fair.”
particularly receptive to continued U.S. engagement.
The statement continued, “In response, the United States
has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on individuals
In 2017, the Cambodian government suspended Angkor
who undermined democracy and implemented a pause of
Sentinel, an annual joint exercise between U.S. Army
certain foreign assistance programs.”
Pacific and the Royal Cambodian Army first held in 2010.
In 2018, the U.S. government suspended military assistance
Cambodian courts have convicted opposition leader and
to Cambodia in response to its government’s suppression of
former CNRP President Sam Rainsy, who lives in self-
the political opposition.
imposed exile in France, of numerous crimes that many
observers view as politically motivated. In October 2022,
Politics and Human Rights
Sam Rainsy was convicted in absentia to life in prison, on
Hun Sen led Cambodia for 38 years, including as premier
top of previous sentences. In April 2023, former CNRP
of the Vietnam-backed Republic of Kampuchea between
Vice-President Kem Sokha was convicted of treason and
1985 and 1993. Since 1993, he has headed the Cambodian
sentenced to 27 years of house arrest. Since 2021,
People’s Party (CPP). The king of Cambodia and head of
Cambodian courts have convicted over 115 opposition
state, a largely symbolic figure, is Norodom Sihamoni, who
politicians and activists of crimes against the state.
succeeded his father in 2004.
Figure 1. Cambodia at a Glance
Following the CPP’s landslide win in the July 2023
National Assembly election, Hun Sen announced that he
would step down as prime minister while retaining his
leadership of the CPP. In a widely expected move, the
prime minister transferred power to his eldest son, West
Point graduate Hun Manet, who was elected to the National
Assembly for the first time. In August 2023, the National
Assembly endorsed Hun Manet as the new prime minister.
Little is known about the political views of General Hun
Manet, who served as deputy commander of the Royal
Cambodian Armed Forces and joint chief of staff prior to
seeking elected office, although some observers do not

expect him to usher in major changes in the near term.
Source: CRS (map) and Central Intelligence Agency, The World
Factbook, 2023.
Between 1993, when the United Nations administered
Cambodia’s first national election following the 1991 Paris
Since the lead up to the 2018 national election, former
Agreements that ended the country’s civil war, and 2017,
Prime Minister Hun Sen clamped down on civil society and
democratic institutions and practices had gradually evolved
circumscribed the space for independent media. In 2017,
to allow widespread civic and political participation. During
the Cambodian Foreign Ministry applied a restrictive new
this period, Cambodia developed a vibrant civil society and
law on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to expel the
a relatively free print media. The opposition Cambodian
U.S. government-funded National Democratic Institute,
National Rescue Party (CNRP) made significant gains in
which was engaged in democracy promotion programs in
the 2013 parliamentary election and 2017 local elections.
Cambodia, on the grounds the Institute was not registered
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Cambodia
with the Cambodian government. Roughly 25 human rights
Ream Naval Base
NGOs still operate in Cambodia but face increasing
Since 2018, U.S. concerns have grown regarding PRC
repression, according to the Department of State. Human
construction activities at Ream Naval Base. Cambodian
rights groups report the Cambodian government restricts
officials have stated the upgrades, including a new pier,
freedom of expression and the press, including through
support Cambodian military modernization. Some experts
defamation lawsuits, criminal prosecutions, tax penalties,
say China may aim to use Ream to berth PRC military
disapproval of permits and licenses, and harassment of
supply ships and accommodate visiting PRC warships,
journalists. In February 2023, the Cambodian government
enabling China to project power further from the Chinese
revoked the media license of Voice of Democracy, a local
mainland. Cambodian officials emphasize that hosting a
radio and online media outlet that had reported on human
foreign military facility would be unconstitutional, although
rights issues, for “disseminating false information.”
the government may provide access to multiple countries.
PRC officials reportedly have denied that Cambodia has
Economy and PRC Influence
given China exclusive rights to Ream.
Since the early 1990s, Cambodia has made progress on
some socioeconomic indicators, although it remains one of
Foreign Assistance and Sanctions
the poorest countries in Asia, and poverty and malnutrition
Cambodia is dependent upon foreign aid. Official
in rural areas persist. The economy—which was largely
Development Assistance (ODA) for Cambodia from
destroyed under the leadership of the Communist Party of
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
Kampuchea, also known as the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979),
member countries and international financial institutions
and subsequent conflicts—achieved an average annual
totaled $1.02 billion in 2021. The United States provided
growth rate of 8% between 1998 and 2019, largely driven
$98 million in assistance to Cambodia in FY2023, mostly
by foreign investment and development of the agricultural,
channeled through NGOs. Program areas include maternal
garment, construction, real estate, and tourism sectors.
and child health, combating infectious diseases, basic
Following a downturn in 2020-2021 due to the Coronavirus
education, human rights and democracy, reducing human
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the economy has
trafficking, economic growth, and natural resource
rebounded somewhat, and the Asian Development Bank
management. Peace Corps volunteers teach English and
forecasts it will achieve a growth rate of over 5.0% in 2023.
train English teachers in Cambodian villages. From 1993 to
2022, the U.S. government provided $192 million for
The United States is Cambodia’s second-largest trading
unexploded ordnance (UXO) removal and related
partner after China, and its largest export market,
programs. Cambodia is among the countries most heavily
purchasing 44% of Cambodia’s exports in 2022, according
contaminated by UXO left from U.S. bombing during the
to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Cambodian
Vietnam War, the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in
exports to the United States totaled $12.2 billion in 2022,
1978, and civil wars during the 1970s and 1980s.
while imports from the United States totaled $449 million.
The largest Cambodian export items to the United States
Since FY2017, State, Foreign Operations, and Related
are apparel and leather goods, and the largest U.S. import
Programs appropriations legislation places conditions on
items are vehicles. The garment sector—which is largely
some U.S. assistance to Cambodia due to human rights and
run by companies from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan—
other concerns. The Consolidated Appropriations Act,
forms a pillar of Cambodia’s economy, employing roughly
FY2023 (P.L. 117-328, Section 7043(b)) prohibits
1 million workers, predominantly women. The EIU
assistance to the government of Cambodia, unless the
reported that garments and footwear accounted for 54.8%
Secretary of State certifies that Cambodia is taking effective
of Cambodian goods exports in 2022.
steps to assert its sovereignty against interference by the
PRC, including by verifiably maintaining the neutrality of
China is Cambodia’s largest source of imports, including
Ream Naval Base; ceasing violence, threats, and
fabric for the kingdom’s garment industry. The PRC is the
harassment against civil society and political opposition;
kingdom’s largest foreign investor and a major source of
and respecting rights, freedoms, and responsibilities
financing, holding 42.7% of its foreign debt in 2021,
enshrined in the 1993 Constitution of Cambodia, among
according to the EIU. PRC-backed infrastructure and
other provisions. In December 2021, the Commerce and
hydropower projects and business ventures have brought
State Departments imposed export restrictions on U.S.
some developmental benefits while also creating
national security-controlled items and a ban on arms sales
environmental problems, contributing to corruption, and
to Cambodia due to human rights concerns. Since 2018, the
causing disruptions and dislocation among some local
U.S. government has sanctioned five Cambodian officials
communities. PRC investment has been particularly
and family members for corruption and human rights
concentrated in the city of Sihanoukville and elsewhere
abuses pursuant to Executive Order 13818, which
along the Gulf of Thailand, with development projects
implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights
including the construction of tourist and gambling resorts,
Accountability Act (Title XII, Subtitle F of P.L. 114-328).
industrial zones, an international airport at Dara Sakor, and
a deep-water seaport in Kampot province. Some U.S.
For further information, see CRS Report R47311,
analysts express concern that the airport and seaport could
Cambodia: Background and U.S. Relations.
be used 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 12 · UPDATED

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