New US Ambassador to Cambodia Eyes Improved Trade, Relations

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Neou Vannarin

Last updated on: February 10, 2016 2:37 PM

PHNOM PENH—

The newest U.S. ambassador to Cambodia says he will focus on improving relations and boosting trade between the two countries during his tenure.

In an exclusive interview with VOA Khmer, Ambassador William Heidt said many opportunities now exist for the two countries to build stronger ties.

“I feel very lucky to be here in Cambodia at a time when really there are a lot of interesting possibilities to work together more closely on those issues,” he said. “So I’m excited about making progress on those trade and economic issues. I’ve also noted that the people-to-people relationships between the United States and Cambodia are very strong.”

Heidt worked as an economic officer in the embassy from 1997 to 1999, speaks Khmer and is married to a Cambodian. He said he would also work toward improving Cambodia’s food security and environmental protections.

Improving trade

Heidt will work on establishing a Bilateral Investment Treaty, which would improve trade by encouraging investment, he said.

“We think that would help Cambodia track higher technology investment that will enable Cambodia to manufacture and export sophisticated projects, in what they call global value chains,” he said, adding that these days one product may be produced from input in multiple countries.

Cambodia exported some $2.8 billion in goods to the U.S. in 2014, making it the country’s largest single export market. The U.S. exported about $328 million in goods to Cambodia.

Heidt said Cambodia could also consider joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a U.S.-led trade pact that could open U.S. markets further.

“Actually we hope all ASEAN countries come in somewhere down the road,” Heidt said of the TPP. “I think it’s going to be a powerful trade agreement. It’s going to help countries develop their economy, especially Cambodia, which has now become a middle-income country and wants to export more sophisticated product to the world. I think it can be very helpful.”

US-ASEAN relations

Heidt’s interview comes less than a week before Prime Minister Hun Sen and other ASEAN leaders are expected to meet with President Barack Obama for a summit at the Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, California.

On Wednesday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz was asked about reports that the Cambodian prime minister threatened protesters who would demonstrate against Phnom Penh's human rights record at the upcoming summit, which is scheduled to kick off February 16.

“A lot of these countries are in different phases of becoming democratic — with a small 'd,'" Schultz said. "Those are reforms that [Obama] takes very seriously and pursues in private conversations and in public forums ... so I’d expect the right to protest and the right to peacefully be heard falls under that umbrella and do expect the president to talk about the importance of democratic reforms as part of the summit conversations next week.”

The two-day talks will focus on U.S.-ASEAN relations, trade and security. Other meetings around the summit will focus on entrepreneurship and economic growth, Heidt said.

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