Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen recently said China has arranged vessels to freight raw materials for garment and footwear production to the country from now until May. The first such shipment arrived on March 9, he told a university graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh. Some factories in Cambodia had partially suspended operations, affecting almost 20,000 workers.

Cambodian industry and handicraft ministry secretary of state and spokesman Heng Sokkung thanked the Chinese ministry of commerce for helping to push for the fast delivery of raw materials.

A delegation of the Chinese ministry of commerce had visited Cambodia recently and met with Cambodian minister of industry and handicraft Cham Prasidh, according to Cambodian media reports.

Prasidh had presented a list of necessary raw materials that Cambodia is facing a shortage of for the garment and footwear industry.

The minister also initiated a ‘Green Lane’ to facilitate and speed up shipments, logistics and customs processing clearance, so the raw materials could be reached Cambodia faster.

The Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia said in a statement last month that more than 60 per cent of the raw materials for productions in the garment and footwear industry are imported from China.