How Cambodia’s Relationship with the US Can Stop Being “One-Sided Love”

Picture: U.S. Chief of Mission Cambodia/X

In an article by the Fulcrum, Chhay Lim and Melinda Martinus examine Cambodia’s fluctuating relationship with the United States.

The notion of Cambodia’s one-sided love with the US permeates the former’s foreign policy. This asymmetrical partnership has prompted Cambodia’s earnest efforts to improve relations even with perceived US indifference, particularly concerning the protection of its economic interests. The US is the largest export market for Cambodian products under the Generalized System of Preferences, accounting for 40 per cent of total exports, primarily comprising garment, footwear, and travel goods. However, Cambodia’s reputation among American politicians has increasingly deteriorated, leading to mounting economic sanctions. In 2021, the US Congress called for the suspension of Cambodia’s trade preference status, citing its worsening human rights situation.

Over the same period, Cambodian respondents consistently favoured the US over China when faced with the hypothetical scenario of being forced to choose a side — support for China declined from 81.5 per cent in 2022 to 26.9 per cent in 2023, then rose to 45 per cent in 2024. Meanwhile, support for the US increased from 18.5 per cent in 2022 to 73.1 per cent in 2023, evening out at 55 per cent in 2024. A key reason behind these trends is the leadership transition following Hun Sen’s intention to leave a legacy of improving Cambodia’s international standing while attracting foreign investment beyond China. Cambodian elites’ positive perception of the US is likely to persist, as diversification away from China has been mainstreamed in foreign policy strategies under the new administration.