Phnom Penh — Cambodia and China have agreed to fast-track the development of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) protocols and related procedures to expand the export of Cambodian agricultural products to the Chinese market.
The agreement was reached following the 2nd Conference on the Import and Export Food Safety Cooperation Mechanism for Belt and Road countries, held in Shanghai on October 15, according to a statement from Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
During the event, Minister of Agriculture Dith Tina met separately with Sun Meijun, China’s Minister of the General Administration of Customs, and Vice Minister Zhao Zenglian. Discussions focused on enhancing SPS cooperation to streamline export access and align procedures with the needs of Cambodian farmers and the private sector.
Both sides reached consensus on three key initiatives:
- Accelerating SPS Protocols: Rapid development of SPS standards will pave the way for the export of brown rice, pineapple, jackfruit, frozen durian, longan, meat, swiftlet nests, and animal feed to China.
- Establishing a Joint Working Group: A bilateral mechanism will facilitate direct communication and problem-solving between relevant institutions in both countries.
- Simplifying Registration Processes: China will ease customs registration procedures to allow more Cambodian small-scale farms that follow Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to access the Chinese market.
Minister Tina hailed the outcomes as significant progress in advancing agricultural and trade cooperation. He encouraged Cambodian farmers and agro-processors to continue adopting GAP and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure quality, safety, and compliance with Chinese import standards.
“The ministry appreciates the General Administration of Customs of China for their continued cooperation, which has been instrumental in expanding Cambodia’s agricultural export opportunities,” Tina said.
At present, Cambodia is authorized to export rice, broken rice, cassava chips, corn, bananas, mangoes, longan, pepper, and fresh durians to China.
According to the General Department of Customs and Excise (GDCE), bilateral trade between Cambodia and China reached USD 14.21 billion in the first nine months of 2025 — a 27.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Cambodian exports to China were valued at USD 1.18 billion (down 7.7%), while imports from China totalled USD 13.03 billion (up 32%), reaffirming China’s position as Cambodia’s largest trading partner.
Also read, Cambodia’s Rubber Exports Earn Over $549 Million in First Eight Months of 2025
