The Cambodian economy is struggling. Western donors and businesses are reluctant to invest under the threat of sanctions. And even the country’s largest benefactor, China, is witnessing an unprecedented fall in GDP growth amid a trade war with the United States.
Partly in a bid to offset that and broaden its economic horizons, Phnom Penh is hoping to sign up to a free trade deal with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), which comprises of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia.
As of now, negotiations have barely begun, with an announcement made after the ASEAN economic ministers meeting in Bangkok earlier this month where the focus was on opening up trade between Southeast Asia and the Central Asia-Eastern Europe blocs. But they are nonetheless important to watch.
In full: https://thediplomat.com/2019/09/a-new-cambodia-eaeu-trade-deal/
