Khmer Times, Opinion, 14 November 2025 (Link)
Around the world, supply chains are being reshaped by new technologies, shifting cost structures, diversification of supply chain and evolving trade frameworks and tension, which have accelerated relocation from traditional manufacturing hubs.
For many countries, this moment presents both a challenge and a clear opportunity to connect more deeply with regional value chains.
Cambodia is still in the conceptualisation stage of the free trade zone (FTZ), the development of which has gone through rigorous multistakeholder consultations, and of course international cooperation from partners such as the government of China and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
There should be three contexts to consider when discussing about Cambodia’s development of FTZ.
First, FTZ’s development is part and parcel of Cambodia’s coastal development master plan.
The plan runs from 2025 to 2040, covering four provinces with a total area of nearly 18,000 square kilometers. It consists of 141 sub-projects with a total estimated investment of $ 15–20 billion.
By embedding FTZ development within this broader plan, Cambodia aims to ensure that industrial growth is not a standalone project, but part of a durable, well-sequenced national strategy.
Second, factory relocation.