Cambodia Approves $5.2B Investment, Eyes Higher-Value Industries

Cambodia approved 309 investment projects worth about $5.2 billion in the first seven months of 2026, a senior official said Tuesday, as the government seeks to attract higher-value industries and deepen integration into global supply chains. Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, who also serves as First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), announced the figures during a keynote address at the opening of the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) in Xiamen, Fujian Province. The projects are expected to generate roughly 177,000 jobs, underscoring the role of private investment in driving growth and employment. Chanthol said Cambodia is shifting focus from sheer investment volume to quality and diversity, aiming to raise productivity, introduce advanced technologies and strengthen links between domestic industries and regional and global value chains. While garments, footwear and travel goods remain central to the economy, Cambodia is increasingly targeting electronics manufacturing, automotive assembly, clean energy, high-value agro-processing and modern logistics. “These sectors will serve as new growth drivers to boost productivity, strengthen global value chain integration, and ensure long-term, resilient economic growth,” the CDC said. The investment push is part of Cambodia’s ambition to achieve high-income status by 2050, with the private sector seen as a key engine through capital investment, job creation, technology transfer and global integration. Chanthol highlighted incentives and legal protections under the Law on Investment, as well as government efforts to bolster law enforcement and security, including measures against technology-based scams and transnational crime. Cambodia is also leveraging broad market access through ASEAN, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), bilateral free trade agreements and the EU’s Everything But Arms scheme, while pursuing accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Infrastructure projects underpinning the strategy include expansion of the Sihanoukville Deep-Sea Port, the Funan Techo Integrated Water Resource Management Project and development at Techo International Airport. Chanthol thanked China for its support of major infrastructure projects and invited Chinese and international investors to explore opportunities in Cambodia, stressing the CDC’s readiness to facilitate new ventures. The latest figures build on momentum from earlier this year, when the CDC approved 184 projects worth $2.6 billion in the first four months, with officials noting a shift toward electronics and high-tech industries. Cambodia recorded a record year in 2025, approving 630 projects valued at more than $10 billion, reflecting sustained investor confidence across manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and digital development.