Senate president Hun Sen has described the visit of the Singaporean prime minister to Cambodia as part of strengthening bilateral diplomatic and trade relations, particularly through expanding air connectivity, especially as Cambodia prepares to launch the Techo International Airport.
On July 2, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong led a delegation on a one-day official visit to Cambodia. During his visit, he held several meetings with Cambodian leaders.
Following a meeting today, Hun Sen noted that the visit plays an important role in further advancing Cambodia–Singapore relations.
He encouraged both governments to continue strengthening bilateral ties through trade, economy and tourism, especially by expanding the number of direct flights.
“I want to see more flights from Singapore to Cambodia, particularly when the new Techo International Airport is put into operation, soon,” he said.
He also shared updates on the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand, which he said began when Thai soldiers entered Cambodian territory and shot and killed a Cambodian soldier on May 28. Thailand subsequently unilaterally closed the border and issued multiple threats.
Wong expressed his delight at the strong, growing relationship between the two countries, noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of official diplomatic ties and cooperation.
The Cambodian government announced that Techo International will begin flight operations on September 9, with the official inauguration planned for October 20. The new airport is significantly larger than the existing Phnom Penh International Airport, which the government hopes will attract more international travelers to and from Cambodia.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, during the first five months of 2025, Cambodia received a total of 2.95 million international visitors, an increase of 11.7% compared to the same period in 2024. Among them, 18,177 Singaporean tourists visited Cambodia, up 11.1%.
Meanwhile,
Statistics from the General Department of Customs and Excise show that in the first five months of this year, Cambodia–Singapore bilateral trade reached $314.11 million, a 20.1 per cent decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Of that, Cambodia’s exports to Singapore were valued at $25.06 million, down 39.2 per cent, while Singapore’s exports to Cambodia were $289.05 million, down 17.9 per cent.
In contrast, in 2024, bilateral trade between the two countries totaled $901.95 million, a decrease of only 1.7 per cent. Cambodia’s exports reached $103.02 million, an increase of 101.1 per cent, while Singapore’s exports to Cambodia were $798.93 million, down 7.8 per cent.
