Toyota Hilux Travo Local Assembly Begins in Cambodia, Symbolizing Japan-Cambodia Cooperation

The assembly and outfitting line for the Toyota Hilux Travo has officially commenced operations at the Toyota Tsusho Manufacturing (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. factory, located within the Royal Group Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone, on the outskirts of Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. The commemorative ceremony was co-presided over by His Excellency Ueno Atsushi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Kingdom of Cambodia, and His Excellency Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC). Attendees included His Excellency Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation; Mr. Shigeru Harada, Executive Officer for the Mobility Division of Toyota Tsusho Corporation; and Mr. Kong Noun, CEO of Toyota Tsusho Manufacturing (Cambodia) Co., Ltd., along with government officials from both nations, international guests, and a large contingent of employees and skilled technicians. In his keynote address, Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol lauded Toyota Tsusho's decision to invest in assembling a new vehicle model in Cambodia, viewing it as a testament to the company's firm confidence in the nation's economic potential. He emphasized that assembly by Cambodian engineers showcases their high capacity to adopt advanced technologies and serves as a strategic investment that the government prioritizes for building the industrial ecosystem, developing human capital, and ensuring long-term prosperity. On this occasion, the Deputy Prime Minister, on behalf of the Cambodian government, expressed gratitude to the Japanese Ambassador for his active support and facilitation in promoting bilateral relations. The two countries are strong strategic partners, and their long-standing friendship led to the elevation of their relationship to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" in 2023, aimed at further enhancing economic and investment cooperation across all sectors. The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted key measures implemented by the government and the CDC to enhance competitiveness and provide a favorable environment for investors, including plans to reduce trade and investment costs; a target to achieve 70% clean energy usage by 2030; the enactment of the "Law on Combating Technology-Based Fraud"; and improved investment facilitation mechanisms with state and private sector entities. He also mentioned the digitalization of public services, such as the launch of the CDCIPM system and its integration with relevant ministries, to further streamline processes for investors, as well as physical infrastructure projects at the CDC to bring public services closer to target investors. Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister encouraged TOYOTA to explore further investment opportunities in automotive components, advanced technologies, and human resource training in Cambodia. He also called upon TOYOTA's related partners, supply networks, and supporting industries to delve deeper into investment opportunities to strengthen value chains (forward and backward linkages), thereby driving Cambodia into global supply chains, creating domestic added value, and generating quality employment. During the event, the Deputy Prime Minister and accompanying dignitaries toured the factory to gain in-depth understanding of the production chain and the global standard assembly process. He also met with and encouraged employees, skilled workers, and vocational trainees, urging them to diligently absorb new knowledge and technologies from the company to develop their own capabilities and contribute to the nation's automotive industry future. Finally, the Deputy Prime Minister and Ambassador Ueno, along with the honored guests, officially pressed the launch button for the first Toyota Hilux Travo model assembled and manufactured by Cambodian hands. The Deputy Prime Minister then had the honor of test-driving the new model to personally assess and evaluate its quality, comfort, and advanced mobility technology, demonstrating the government's full support and high confidence in this product of national pride. Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol also granted an interview to participating media outlets, reiterating the strategic importance of this investment project and expressing the government's strong commitment to continuously improving the investment climate and digitalizing public services to attract more world-class industrial companies like TOYOTA to invest in Cambodia.