Updated May 14, 2024
Cambodia
Overview: U.S.-Cambodia Relations
National Assembly elections, the CPP won 125 seats and
U.S.-Cambodia relations have become strained during the
120 seats (out of 125 total seats), respectively. The State
past decade, after former Prime Minister Hun Sen banned
Department released a statement declaring, “The United
the main opposition party in 2017 and as Cambodia’s
States is troubled that the [2023] Cambodian national
relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has
elections were neither free nor fair” and announced that
grown closer. The U.S. government has sought to remain
steps had been taken to impose visa restrictions on
engaged with Cambodia while calling on the Cambodian
individuals who were deemed to have undermined
government to restore democratic rights and resist PRC
Cambodia’s democracy.
influence. In 2017, the Cambodian government suspended
the annual U.S.-Cambodia military exercise Angkor
Figure 1. Cambodia at a Glance
Sentinel, first held in 2010. In 2018, the U.S. government
suspended military assistance to Cambodia in response to
its government’s suppression of the political opposition.
Politics and Human Rights
Hun Sen led Cambodia for 38 years (1985-2023), including
as premier of the Vietnam-backed Republic of Kampuchea
(1985-1993). He had been president of the ruling
Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) since 1993. In 2023, Hun
Sen relinquished his position as prime minister while
retaining his leadership of the CPP. In a widely expected
move, Hun Sen transferred power to his eldest son, Hun

Manet, who was elected to the National Assembly for the
Source: CRS (map) and Central Intelligence Agency, The World
first time and endorsed by the body as the new prime
Factbook, 2024.
minister. In February 2024, the CPP won 55 out of 58 seats
in Cambodian Senate elections, which are chosen by local
In what many observers view as politically motivated
commune council members. The Senate unanimously
actions, Cambodian courts have convicted opposition leader
elected Senator Hun Sen as its president, a largely
and former CNRP President Sam Rainsy, who lives in self-
ceremonial position. The King of Cambodia, Norodom
imposed exile in France, of numerous crimes. In October
Sihamoni, is head of state and a largely symbolic figure.
2022, Sam Rainsy was convicted in absentia to life in
prison, on top of previous sentences. In April 2023, former
Some observers do not expect Hun Manet, a graduate of
CNRP Vice-President Kem Sokha was convicted of treason
West Point and New York University, to usher in major
and sentenced to 27 years of house arrest. In 2021 and
policy changes in the near term. Others speculate that the
2022, Cambodian courts tried over 115 former members of
new prime minister, as well as a new generation of cabinet
the CNRP and other political activists, convicting 67 of
appointees, may reset Cambodia’s relations with the United
them and sentencing them to prison terms of five to 18
States and the West and usher in greater engagement.
years. Many former CNRP members had fled abroad and
were tried in absentia. Cambodian-American lawyer and
Between 1993, when the United Nations administered
democratic activist Theary Seng is serving a six-year
Cambodia’s first national election following the 1991 Paris
sentence on the charge of treason.
Agreements that ended the country’s civil war, and 2017,
democratic institutions and practices had gradually evolved
The Cambodian government limits civil society, press
to allow widespread civic and political participation. The
freedom, and freedom of expression, including through a
opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP)
restrictive 2017 law on nongovernmental organizations and
made significant gains in the 2013 parliamentary election
through defamation lawsuits, disapproval of permits and
and 2017 local elections. Meanwhile, Hun Sen employed a
licenses, and harassment of journalists.
variety of means to stay in power, including through
electoral victories, legal and extralegal political maneuvers,
Economy
influence over the judiciary, broadcast media, and labor
The Cambodian economy—which was largely destroyed
unions, and through patronage, cronyism, violence and
during the leadership of the Communist Party of
intimidation.
Kampuchea, also known as the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979),
In November 2017, the Supreme Court of Cambodia issued
and subsequent conflicts—achieved an average annual
a ruling that dissolved the CNRP for “conspiring with the
growth rate of 8% between 1998 and 2019. The national
United States to overthrow the government,” which the
poverty rate dropped from 33.8% in 2009 to 17.8% in 2019,
CNRP and U.S. government denied. In the 2018 and 2023
according to the World Bank, due in part to growth in the
manufacturing and services sectors. Following a downturn
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Cambodia
in 2020-2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy
portion of the base, and has docked two naval vessels there
has rebounded somewhat; GDP growth was 5% in 2023 and
since December 2023.
is forecast to expand by 5.8% in 2024, according to the
Asian Development Bank.
Foreign Assistance and Sanctions
Cambodia is dependent upon foreign aid. Official
The United States is Cambodia’s second-largest trading
Development Assistance (ODA) for Cambodia from
partner after China, and its largest export market,
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
purchasing 39.3% of Cambodia’s exports in 2023.
member countries and international financial institutions
Cambodian exports to the United States totaled $11.6
totaled $1.1 billion in 2022. The United States provided $98
billion in 2023 (compared to $12.2 million in 2022), while
million in assistance to Cambodia in FY2023, mostly
imports from the United States amounted to $305 million.
channeled through NGOs. Program areas include maternal
The largest Cambodian export items to the United States
and child health, combating infectious diseases, basic
are electrical machinery, apparel, and leather goods, and the
education, human rights and democracy, reducing human
largest U.S. export items to Cambodia are vehicles. The
trafficking, economic growth, and natural resource
garment sector—which is largely run by companies from
management. Peace Corps volunteers teach English and
China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan—forms a pillar of
train English teachers in Cambodian villages. The U.S.
Cambodia’s economy, employing over 750,000 workers,
government has provided $208 million for unexploded
predominantly women. Garments, footwear, and travel
ordnance (UXO) removal and related programs (1993-2023
accessories accounted for roughly half of Cambodian goods
data). Cambodia is among the countries most heavily
exports in 2023.
contaminated by UXO left from U.S. bombing during the
Vietnam War, the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in
PRC Influence
1978, and civil wars during the 1970s and 1980s.
China is a large economic benefactor to Cambodia,
reducing the relative influence of other foreign aid
The United States has imposed restrictions on some foreign
providers. The PRC is the kingdom’s largest foreign
assistance to Cambodia in response to human rights
investor and a major source of financing, holding 41% of its
concerns while continuing to provide support to Cambodian
foreign debt in 2023. China is Cambodia’s largest source of
civil society. Some observers contend that Cambodian civil
imports, including fabric for the kingdom’s garment
society, independent journalists, and urban youth may be
industry.
particularly receptive to continued U.S. engagement.
PRC-backed infrastructure, hydropower projects, and
Between 2017 and 2023, State, Foreign Operations, and
business ventures have delivered some developmental
Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations legislation
benefits to Cambodia, but also have created or contributed
placed conditions on U.S. assistance to the government of
to environmental problems, corruption, and disruptions and
Cambodia in response to its human rights policies. Since
dislocation among some local communities. PRC
2018, the U.S. government has sanctioned five Cambodian
investment has been particularly concentrated in the city of
officials, and in some cases their family members as well,
Sihanoukville and elsewhere along the Gulf of Thailand,
for corruption and human rights abuses pursuant to
with development projects including the construction of
Executive Order 13818, which implements the Global
tourist and gambling resorts, industrial zones, an
Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (Title XII,
international airport at Dara Sakor, and a deep-water
Subtitle F of P.L. 114-328); three of the five Cambodian
seaport in Kampot province. Some U.S. analysts express
officials were also sanctioned under the SFOPS Section
concern that the airport and seaport could be used for PRC
7031(c) visa restrictions authority. In 2021, the Commerce
military as well as civilian purposes. PRC investors
and State Departments imposed export restrictions on U.S.
reportedly have left over 500 unfinished and abandoned
national security-controlled items and a ban on arms sales
buildings in Sihanoukville following the halt of
to Cambodia due to human rights concerns.
construction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SFOPS appropriations for 2024 (P.L. 118-47, Section
Ream Naval Base
7043(b)) requires the Secretary of State to submit to
U.S. concerns have grown regarding PRC construction
Congress an assessment of the extent of the influence of the
activities at Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand. In
PRC in Cambodia, including with respect to the purposes
2022, the PRC began working on upgrades on a section of
and operations of Ream Naval Base. In addition, P.L. 118-
the base, including dredging to enable it to accommodate
47 requires that the visa restrictions authority under Section
larger vessels, a new pier, and repairs to the dry dock. Some
7031(c) of the act be applied to Cambodian officials about
experts say China may aim to use Ream to berth PRC
whom the Secretary of State has credible information of
military supply ships and accommodate visiting PRC
having “been involved in the unlawful and wrongful
warships, enabling China to project military power further
detention” of Theary Seng, and provides $10 million for the
from the Chinese mainland. Cambodian officials emphasize
Khmer Rouge genocide survivor program out of the
that hosting a foreign military facility would be
Countering PRC Influence Fund (see the explanatory
unconstitutional, although the government may provide port
statement to P.L. 118-47, Division F).
access to multiple countries. PRC officials reportedly have
denied that Cambodia has given China exclusive rights to
For further information, see CRS Report R47311,
Ream, although China appears to have taken control over a
Cambodia: Background and U.S. Relations.
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Cambodia

IF10238
Thomas Lum, Specialist in Asian Affairs


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