Cambodia–China Strengthen Strategic Coordination Through “2+2” Dialogue
On April 22, Cambodia and China held their first ministerial-level “2+2” strategic dialogue, bringing together foreign and defense ministers to institutionalize coordination across diplomacy, defense, and internal security. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Dong Jun met with their Cambodian counterparts, Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Defense Minister Tea Seiha. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in law enforcement and defense, jointly combat online gambling and telecom fraud, and strengthen cybersecurity. They also agreed to expand the mechanism into a “3+3” format by including their respective interior and public security ministries.
During his meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Wang Yi called for the complete eradication of online scam centers, describing them as a threat to public safety and financial security. In parallel, Cambodian authorities have intensified enforcement, reporting nearly 2,000 arrests linked to online fraud operations in April alone, following the passage of the country’s first anti-cybercrime law (see USABC’s previous update for details).
Separately, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn held further talks with Wang Yi the following day, where both sides agreed to strengthen political trust and expand cooperation across defense, security, trade, investment, infrastructure, and agriculture. Wang Yi also reaffirmed China’s support for Cambodia and Thailand in implementing the consensus reached at the China–Cambodia–Thailand Fuxian meeting to address their border dispute, and expressed willingness to facilitate continued dialogue between the two countries.
China remains Cambodia’s largest investor and aid donor, with bilateral trade reaching USD 19.73 billion last year, heavily in China’s favor. The relationship is also becoming more visible in security terms. Cambodia has reportedly inducted an upgraded Chinese-built Type 056 corvette at Ream Naval Base, reinforcing perceptions that bilateral defense ties are expanding beyond infrastructure and training into capability transfer and maritime development. Taken together, these developments may shape the broader business environment in Cambodia for U.S. companies, influencing operating conditions and engagement over time.
