Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol recently led a Cambodian delegation to a significant meeting with Ms. Beth Van Duyne, the esteemed Representative for Texas’s 24th Congressional District, on November 5. Representative Van Duyne holds influential positions in the United States Congress, serving as a member of both the Committee on Ways and Means and the Small Business Committee.
The primary objective of this high-level meeting, facilitated by the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), was to fortify bilateral trade relations between Cambodia and the United States. Discussions focused on actively seeking robust support from the US Congress to encourage American investment within Cambodia, particularly in the burgeoning field of industrial technology. A crucial point of agenda was also the reduction of existing trade barriers, aiming to foster a more open and dynamic trade environment.
During their extensive discussion, Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol and Representative Van Duyne exchanged ideas aimed at enhancing cooperation, striving for mutual benefits for the people and strengthening the economic and trade sectors of both Cambodia and the United States.
According to reports from the CDC, Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol further utilized the meeting to recount two major historical events that underscore Cambodia’s international engagement and aspirations. He referenced the Cambodia-Thailand peace agreement, signed in Kuala Lumpur, highlighting the pivotal support received from the international community, notably from the United States through President Donald Trump, and from ASEAN President Anwar Ibrahim, who is also Malaysia’s Prime Minister. Additionally, he emphasized the potential for establishing a reciprocal trade agreement between Cambodia and the United States, signaling Cambodia’s readiness for deeper economic partnership.
It is noteworthy that Representative Beth Van Duyne previously spearheaded a US Parliamentary Delegation (CODEL) visit to Cambodia in late August 2025. During that visit, she met with the Prime Minister and expressed high appreciation for Cambodia’s impressive economic growth, macroeconomic stability, and consistently low inflation rate. Furthermore, Representative Van Duyne and her delegation undertook a personal visit to assess the living conditions of Cambodian citizens who had been relocated to the Kulen Local Security Center in Preah Vihear province.
