Cambodia in Talks with Chinese Firm for EV Battery Material Production

SHENZHEN, Sept 11, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia is seeking to enter the global electric vehicle supply chain, holding talks with a Chinese producer of battery cathode materials during an investment roadshow in Shenzhen, officials said Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, who also serves as First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), met executives from Hubei Wanrun New Energy Technology, a Shanghai STAR Market‑listed firm supplying cathode materials for lithium‑ion batteries used in electric vehicles. Discussions centered on the possibility of establishing a cathode material production facility in Cambodia, which the government said would mark a step toward integrating the country into the global EV supply chain and building local manufacturing capacity. The meeting was one of three Chanthol held in Shenzhen as part of a broader investment promotion mission in Guangdong province. He also met Hong Kong Causeway Bay Group on potential real estate projects around transport infrastructure, and Shenzhen‑listed Unilumin Group on plans for an LED display and smart lighting assembly facility targeting Southeast Asian markets. Chanthol invited all three companies to conduct study visits to Cambodia, though no financial commitments or timelines were announced. Officials said the push reflects Phnom Penh’s strategy to move beyond garments and footwear into higher‑value industries such as electronics, automotive assembly and clean energy. Recent weeks have seen Cambodia secure investment pledges from Chinese, American, Japanese and South Korean delegations as it works to diversify its investor base.