Overview

• The Trump administration has imposed a 49% tariff on Cambodian exports, the highest in Asia, targeting nations with significant trade deficits.
• Cambodia's garment industry, employing one million workers—75% of whom are women—is bracing for factory closures and widespread job losses.
• Over 37% of Cambodia's exports go to the US, leaving its economy particularly vulnerable to the new tariffs.
• The tariffs are part of a broader strategy impacting Southeast and South Asia, with Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar also facing levies exceeding 40%.
• Analysts warn that the economic strain could push affected nations closer to China, potentially weakening US influence in the region.