Trade between Cambodia and Vietnam has continued its upward path, with two-way goods exchange reaching nearly $6 billion over the first eight months of 2026. That marks a 7% rise from the same stretch a year earlier, according to data from the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia (GDCE).

The figures place Vietnam as Cambodia's third-largest trading partner worldwide, trailing only China and the United States. Cambodian exports to Vietnam totalled $2.96 billion, up 7.6%, while imports from Vietnam grew 6.4% to $3.02 billion, leaving the kingdom with a trade deficit of roughly $63.22 million.

Officials credit closer cooperation

Lim Heng, vice-president of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC), told The Post on September 22 that the uptick reflects strong collaboration between the two governments and their private sectors. He pointed to joint steps such as expanded cooperation at border crossings, trade facilitation agreements, and improvements to transport links and infrastructure.

He added that business communities on both sides, and particularly the CCC, have kept working alongside their Vietnamese counterparts through match-making events and trade fairs, helping address obstacles and making it easier for firms to trade and invest together.

The growth, he said, is not merely a sign of more goods moving across the border, but also evidence of stronger ties and deeper economic integration between the two neighbours.

Push for higher-value exports

Hong Vanak, an economist at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the rise in Cambodian shipments to Vietnam highlights the potential of the country's agricultural and agro-industrial sectors. Exports to Vietnam include rice, cashew nuts, cassava and rubber, among other products.

Vanak urged farmers and investors to build their capacity by shipping fewer raw and unprocessed materials and more finished goods with added value. “Cambodia must maximise exports of finished products to generate greater and more sustainable benefits,” he said. “We should not rely solely on exports of raw materials, but need to promote investment in domestic processing factories.”

He also stressed the need to strengthen sanitary and phytosanitary standards while continuing to cut production costs to sharpen the country's competitiveness on international markets.

For context, total Cambodia-Vietnam trade reached $7.79 billion in 2025, a 1% dip from $7.87 billion in 2024. Last year, Cambodian exports to Vietnam rose 0.8% to $3.73 billion, while imports slipped 2.5% to $4.06 billion.