By CDC
Phnom Penh, On the morning of Friday, June 5, 2026, H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), received a courtesy call and held bilateral talks with Mr. Hunt VanderToll, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, during his official delegation visit to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The meeting was also attended by H.E. Dr. Mao Havannall, Minister in Charge of the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, Mr. Benjamin Chiang, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy to Cambodia, along with other senior leaders and relevant officials.
In this occasion H.E. Deputy Prime Minister extended a warm and cordial welcome to the U.S. delegation. He provided a detailed briefing on Cambodia’s positive economic outlook and diverse investment potential. Specifically, he highlighted key opportunities in large-scale physical infrastructure projects outlined in the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Comprehensive Master Plan on the Cambodian Intermodal Transport and Logistics System 2023-2033, which requires an estimated investment capital around USD 36.6 billion.
Furthermore, H.E. Deputy Prime Minister briefed the delegation on recent progress regarding the Royal Government’s dedicated implementation of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) with the United States, noting that Cambodia was the first signatory country to this agreement with the U.S. As a result, bilateral trade between Cambodia and the United States has steadily increased, while Cambodia continues to successfully maintain its market share in the U.S.
In response, Mr. Hunt VanderToll expressed his appreciation for the numerous positive developments in current Cambodia-U.S. bilateral relations. He noted Cambodia’s continuous growth and development, highly commending the active role of the Council for the Development of Cambodia in coordinating, facilitating, and supporting foreign businesses. Mr. Deputy Assistant Secretary reaffirmed that the United States remains committed to supporting and cooperating closely with Cambodia to promote regional peace, economic transparency, infrastructure modernization and increased investment flows from American companies into Cambodia.
This high-level meeting achieved a historic outcome, as both sides successfully concluded discussions on the draft Air Transport Agreement between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Cambodia. Both nations hold high expectations that establishing direct flight connectivity will significantly boost further U.S. investment in Cambodia, enhance bilateral trade, and drive tourism and passenger growth between the two countries.
