Cambodia and the United States are hitting the accelerator on their relationship, moving beyond traditional diplomacy to cement cooperation in investment and trade. This renewed commitment follows the signing of the Reciprocal Trade Agreement in Kuala Lumpur on October 26th—a clear signal that business ties are warming up.
The high-level reaffirmation took place during a courtesy meeting between Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Cambodia’s Prime Minister, and a U.S. delegation led by H.E. Michael George DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Peace Deal Takes Center Stage
While trade was on the agenda, the conversation quickly turned to a topic of historical weight: the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration. This critical agreement, signed by Prime Minister Hun Manet and his Thai counterpart, H.E. Anutin Charnvirakul, was brokered under the observation of U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister H.E. Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Prime Minister Hun Manet underscored Cambodia’s sincere promise to fully and effectively implement this Joint Declaration. The goal is transformative: to guarantee lasting peace and stability between the two neighbors and, crucially, to turn the once-tense border area into a peaceful and prosperous zone for future generations.
A Nod for the Nobel Peace Prize
In a significant political gesture, the Cambodian Premier used the occasion to express the nation’s high appreciation and profound gratitude to the United States, singling out President Donald J. Trump for his “decisive efforts” in facilitating both the Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire agreement on July 28th and the subsequent Joint Declaration.
Cementing this gratitude, Prime Minister Hun Manet officially affirmed Cambodia’s support for the nomination of President Donald J. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing his pivotal role in de-escalating the border conflict.