US President Donald Trump has unveiled a sweeping set of tariffs, with Cambodia facing the highest rate at 49%. The announcement, made on April 2—what Trump referred to as “America’s Liberation Day”—marks a dramatic escalation in trade tensions.

 

Describing the new tariff as a “discounted reciprocal tariff,” Trump said it was aimed at levelling the trade imbalance. Other affected nations include Vietnam (46%), Sri Lanka (44%), Bangladesh (37%), China (34%), India (26%), South Korea (25%), Japan (24%), and the European Union (20%).

 

The US is Cambodia’s largest export market, accounting for nearly 38% of its exports. In 2024, Cambodian exports to the US totalled $9.92 billion, an 11.4% increase, while US exports to Cambodia were valued at just $264.15 million, up 2.7%. Bilateral trade between the two nations reached $10.18 billion, rising 11.2% from the previous year.

 

Cambodia’s exports to the US largely consist of clothing, travel goods, and footwear—sectors likely to be hardest hit by the tariff hike. The move raises concerns over economic repercussions, with analysts warning of potential disruptions to Cambodia’s trade-dependent economy.

 

 

-2025-04-03

Let's hope Cambodia can find new markets quickly so the general population has no suffering, and buys whatever they need from countries other than the US.