PHNOM PENH, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's trade volume with Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) members surged 22.9 percent to 28.27 billion U.S. dollars in the first seven months of 2026, up from 23 billion dollars during the same period last year, according to a Ministry of Commerce report released Monday.
During the January-July period, Cambodia's exports to RCEP members grew 11 percent to 6.41 billion dollars. Imports climbed 27 percent to reach 21.86 billion dollars, the report said.
The free trade pact remains Cambodia's largest market. It accounted for 62.1 percent of the country's 45.48-billion-dollar total global trade volume during the period.
China, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan and Thailand are Cambodia's top five trading partners within the RCEP.
Penn Sovicheat, ministry of commerce's secretary of state and spokesperson, said that the RCEP continues to drive economic growth, serving as a primary catalyst for Cambodia's long-term export expansion and a powerful incentive for foreign direct investment.
The regional trade pact will help Cambodia graduate from Least Developed Country status in 2029, transition into an upper-middle-income country by 2030, and fast-track its goal of becoming a high-income country by 2050, he told Xinhua.
The RCEP entered into force in 2022. It includes 15 Asia-Pacific nations, combining 10 ASEAN members with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. ■