A Commerce Ministry official said on Thursday that initiation of talks with China for a free trade agreement were not linked to a potential suspension of the ‘Everything But Arms’ trade scheme.
The Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh announced last week that the two countries would meet in Beijing in December to initiate consultations on a feasibility study, which could precede trade deal talks.
Pen Sovicheat, Undersecretary of State at the Commerce Ministry, said trade talks with China and potential revocation of the EBA scheme were unrelated, and an FTA with China was not designed to be a fallback.
