SIEM REAP - The United States said on Thursday that bilateral trade between Washington and Phnom Penh should be mutually beneficial, urging Cambodians to consider American products and services as the economy continues to expand.

Speaking to journalists in Siem Reap, US Ambassador Patrick Murphy said the US has trade imbalance with Cambodia. Despite imports growing, they are failing to grow at the same fast rate.

“So, we hope that Cambodians will consider American products and services, particularly as your economy continues to expand and more and more Cambodians have the ability to consider those options because you get what you pay for. American products are really some of the best products anywhere in the world,” Murphy said.

Murphy visited American Corner at the University of Southeast Asia in Siem Reap on Thursday as part of America-Cambodia Friendship Week to showcase bilateral relations, partnership and programming that promotes people-to-people ties.

Engaging with the media, Murphy said Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to New York will also be an opportunity for Washington and Phnom Penh to talk about strengthening bilateral relations.

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Manet left Phnom Penh on Thursday for New York to attend the annual United Nations General Assembly.

“There will be some opportunities for government-to-government dialogue while the Prime Minister is there, and we view this as positive. We want to talk, we want to increase understanding and make this relationship even better,” Murphy said.

Murphy also spoke about the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade that Cambodia has benefited from in recent years. He noted that GSP is a global program that has not been renewed by the US Congress for the past three years.

While he said he cannot give any predictions about when GSP will be renewed, he noted that Cambodia has been one of the most successful countries in the world in taking advantage of GSP benefits.

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Murphy also noted that the US is now the largest export market for Cambodia, accounting for over 40 percent of the Kingdom's exports. He said that this is an important part of the Cambodian economy because it accounts for more than one million jobs.

Murphy went on to say that he encourages Cambodia to focus on human rights and labor standards, as it is possible that these could be new criteria for GSP eligibility if and when it is renewed.

He said that countries such as Cambodia should focus on addressing the concerns that members of the US Congress have in these areas.

Murphy recently spoke about the country's recovery from the pandemic. He noted that Cambodia was a success story in terms of public health, with high vaccination rates and low death rates. He also praised the US's role in helping Cambodia to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic.

Murphy went on to say that the US encourages American businesses to invest in Cambodia, noting that US businesses are known for their adherence to international standards on labor, the environment, and engagement with communities.

He also acknowledged that there are still some areas where Cambodia can improve, such as in strengthening the rule of law and combating corruption.

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