Cambodia and Singapore Deepen Ties Across Trade, Energy, and Human Capital
Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong paid an official state visit to Cambodia on July 2, 2025, to hold talks with Prime Minister Hun Manet and Senate President Hun Sen, with the aim of strengthening bilateral ties ahead of the 60th anniversary of Cambodia-Singapore diplomatic relations later this year.
The one-day visit underscored growing cooperation in several key sectors, including renewable energy, carbon markets, agri-trade, trade and investment, human capital development, and regional energy connectivity.
Cambodia-Singapore Economic and Investment Cooperation
Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1965, Cambodia and Singapore have steadily deepened economic relations. As of 2024, bilateral trade reached USD 4.83 billion, with Singapore ranking as Cambodia’s third-largest foreign investor and the top investor among ASEAN countries.
According to a statement released by the Cambodian government on the outcomes of the state visit, both the Cambodian and Singaporean sides are said to have acknowledged the importance of enhancing bilateral and regional trade amid global uncertainties. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the steady rate of trade growth, and reaffirmed their commitment to exploring new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.
“To sustain this momentum, both sides encouraged stakeholders to identify emerging areas of economic complementarity,” said the statement.
Education and Capacity Building
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong noted during his visit that nearly 19,000 Cambodian officials have been trained under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) in fields such as public health, digital governance, and administration. Much of this training takes place at the Cambodia-Singapore Cooperation Centre in Phnom Penh – one of three SCP centres under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), with the other two located in Laos and Vietnam.
Both leaders are said to have reaffirmed the importance of capacity building, and identified Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a priority. Prime Minister Hun Manet thanked Singapore for its continued support through the SCP and IAI, which he said have contributed significantly to Cambodia’s human capital development.
Energy and Agri-Trade Cooperation
Prime Minister Wong acknowledged that both Singapore and Cambodia are working to build a "greener and more interconnected ASEAN" by deepening collaboration in renewable energy and electricity trade. He pointed to Singapore’s initiative to import low-carbon electricity from Cambodia as a key step toward realising the ASEAN Power Grid.
Wong also highlighted a new agreement on high-quality carbon markets, which aims to mobilise financing for clean-energy projects, support rural communities, and help both nations achieve their net-zero targets.
On agriculture, the two sides noted the potential for deepened agri-trade, with Cambodia as a key exporter and Singapore relying heavily on food imports.
They also mutually encouraged the swift implementation of commitments from the 1st Cambodia-Laos-Singapore Energy Ministers’ Meeting in May 2024, and invited other regional partners to join efforts to enhance energy connectivity and cross-border electricity trade.
Broadening Digital, Finance, and Tourism Cooperation
Beyond trade and energy, the leaders discussed collaboration in digital governance, banking, people-to-people exchange, and environmental sustainability.
The two sides welcomed progress made on the MoU on Digital Government Cooperation signed in June 2024, and urged agencies to promote digital tools for better public service delivery.
They also praised the Financial Transparency Corridor initiative, launched by the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), as a step toward improved financial connectivity and cross-border trade.
Tourism between the two countries continues to grow, with Singapore remaining a key destination for Cambodian citizens seeking medical services and education.
Regional and International Cooperation
In addition to strengthening bilateral ties, the two leaders exchanged views on key regional and global developments. They reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN centrality and unity, and expressed their commitment to advancing ASEAN Community-building while deepening engagement with external partners.
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Wong also voiced concern over recent tensions along the Cambodia-Thailand border, and encouraged both parties to resolve the issue peacefully and amicably, in the spirit of ASEAN solidarity.