The clothing industry in Kampuchea imported $1 billion of raw materials, and the Kampuchea Garment Manufacturers Association called for more use of local products to reduce costs and increase exports to the western market.

Van Sou Ieng, President of the Kampuchea Garment Manufacturers Association, said: "compared with other countries in the region, Kampuchea imports most of the raw materials for the clothing sector.

Kaing Monika, external affairs manager of the association, said: "66% of clothing companies import raw materials from China, and the rest are imported from China and Taiwan.

During our discussion on trade, some countries importing garments from Kampuchea asked Kampuchea to import raw materials from ASEAN countries and exchange favorable taxes.

The EU has given Kampuchea the preferential trade status of its products made from fabrics imported from ASEAN, and therefore imports from China's textile industry at an unfavorable position.

High start-up costs are a barrier to new investment, and government assistance to new projects should be a catalyst.

I think the local production of fabrics will not happen very soon, because the cost of building a fabric factory is as high as 15 million dollars, and investors must be very confident.

Mao Thora, a secretary of the Ministry of Commerce of Kampuchea, said that imports of raw materials accounted for only a small proportion of the clothing produced locally.

We try to persuade investors from China and Korea to set up factories and produce in Kampuchea.

Editor in chief: Xu Qiyun