The Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC) has encouraged Malaysian investors to explore direct investment opportunities in Cambodia. Currently, Malaysia is Cambodia’s 11th largest trading partner.
The leadership of the CCC met with the Malaysia Chinese Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) in Phnom Penh on August 12. The meeting included the participation of Cambodian and Malaysian businesspeople, with the aim of discussing cooperative projects and enhancing bilateral business partnerships. The Malaysian delegation is paying an August 11 to 13 visit to Cambodia, explained a CCC statement.
Kith Meng, CCC President and Chairman of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council for Cambodia, briefed the visitors on Cambodia’s economic growth and its vision to become a high-income country by 2050. He noted that this goal is supported by several key drivers, including a young and skilled workforce, a favourable investment environment and the policies of the Royal Government.
He added that Cambodia is no longer heavily dependent on imports, as its industrial sector is advancing rapidly. In parallel, Cambodia’s private sector offers multiple key sectors suitable for investment cooperation, such as infrastructure development, the digital economy, sustainable agriculture and tourism.
“Following this meeting, I believe that Cambodian and Malaysian businesspeople will connect directly and explore opportunities for cooperation in their respective sectors. The CCC will continue to push for reforms and facilitate investment flows into Cambodia, supporting the growth of international investors,” he added.
He emphasised the long-standing strength of economic ties between Cambodia and Malaysia, noting that trade between the two countries has steadily increased every year. Since the 1990s, Malaysian investors have played a vital role in Cambodia’s direct investment, focusing mainly on telecommunications, banking, construction and manufacturing.
To further boost bilateral cooperation, on February 27, 2024, the Governor of the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), Chea Serey, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Malaysia, Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in financial innovation and payment systems. This MoU aims to enhance collaboration, promote financial innovation and ensure more efficient and secure cross-border payments, benefiting both citizens and businesses in the two countries. The MoU also opens the way for Cambodia and Malaysia to enable cross-border QR code payments.
“This initiative will allow Malaysian citizens to make payments in Cambodia by scanning QR codes, and likewise, Cambodians will be able to make payments in Malaysia using local currency. It supports the cross-border payment monitoring framework, making transactions more efficient and secure. This MoU will also facilitate trade and tourism between the two countries,” aid the NBC at the time.
In 2024, trade between Cambodia and Malaysia totalled $865.52 million — a 36.9% increase over 2023, with the balance weighted towards Malaysian imports.
According to the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), from January to July 2025, it reached $598.19 million — an increase of 11.2% compared to the same period in 2024. Malaysian imports accounted for $519.32 million, while Cambodian were $78.88 million.
Malaysia ranks as Cambodia’s 11th largest trading partner, following China, the US, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Canada, Germany, Spain, the UK and Indonesia.
