United States Department of State

Cambodia United States Department of State

Cambodia began its transformation from a command economy to a free market economy in the late 1980s. It is now integrating into the regional and world trading framework. Cambodia joined ASEAN in 1999 and served as ASEAN chair in 2012. In 2001, the country joined the World Customs Organization, and in September 2004, it became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Cambodia's 1994 Law on Investment established an open and liberal foreign investment regime. All sectors of the economy are open to foreign investment and the government permits 100 percent foreign ownership of companies in most sectors. In a few sectors, such as cigarette manufacturing, movie production, rice milling, gemstone mining and processing, publishing and printing, radio and television, wood and stone carving production, and silk weaving, foreign investment is subject to local equity participation or prior authorization from authorities. There is little or no discrimination against foreign investors either at the time of initial investment or after investment. Some foreign businesses, however, have reported that they are at a disadvantage vis-a-vis Cambodian or other foreign rivals that engage in acts of corruption or tax evasion or take advantage of Cambodia's poor enforcement of laws and regulations.