Cambodia and Japan Pledge to Strengthen Digital Governance, Trade, and Green Transformation

Cambodia and Japan have pledged to strengthen their cooperation in digital governance, trade, and green transformation (GX) to enhance regional economic resilience. On September 8, 2026, Dr. Chheang Vannarith, Secretary General and Head of the Advisory Group of the National Assembly, led a strategic meeting with a delegation from the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA), headed by Mr. Kensuke Yanagida, a Senior Researcher at JIIA. The meeting aimed to deepen the friendship and partnership between Cambodia and Japan, particularly in the areas of digital governance, trade policy, and green transformation (GX), which are facing external economic pressures and geopolitical tensions. Dr. Chheang Vannarith highlighted Cambodia's efforts to build mechanisms to counter and strengthen the resilience of the national economy in the face of global energy price fluctuations, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions, especially threats from border conflicts with Thailand. Cambodia is actively promoting digitalization, human capital development, and the expansion of trade networks, preparing to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2029 to escape the middle-income trap. Furthermore, Dr. Chheang Vannarith elaborated on Cambodia's notable achievements and strategic directions. These include the success of the National Bank of Cambodia's 'Bakong' payment system in promoting financial independence, the launch of the public document verification platform 'verify.gov.kh', and the implementation of economic intervention measures focused on strengthening the capacity and competitiveness of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). These initiatives contribute to enhancing financial sovereignty, streamlining government services, and stimulating the domestic economy.