ASEAN Diplomacy: Cambodia’s Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn joined the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and China’s Wang Yi among key partners, as regional peace and security stay front and center. SME & Business Climate: Prime Minister Hun Manet invited SMEs to submit feedback on what’s blocking them, after renewed complaints about slow, bureaucratic business registration—signaling more targeted support for domestic production. Industrial Growth: Cambodia reported a 25% jump in large-scale operating factories by June 2026, reaching 3,319 plants and 1.3 million jobs, as the country pushes higher-value manufacturing. Cambodia–Korea Trade & Investment: A South Korean investor delegation met Hun Manet to expand manufacturing and business ties across sectors like electronics, textiles, construction, food and finance. Aviation & Logistics: Air Cambodia placed a 20-jet order for Comac C909 regional aircraft, with delivery starting later this year, aiming to strengthen route networks and competitiveness. Consumer Protection: The UK and Cambodia deepened cooperation on product safety and market surveillance, including SOP support for inspectors rolling out to provinces and border regions. Digital Skills & STEM: Cambodia launched the 7th Kibo Robot Programming Challenge to boost coding and space-focused STEM among students. Trade Performance: Cambodia’s trade with ASEAN and the EU rose to $13.3bn in H1 2026, reflecting stronger regional supply-chain links. Public Health: A landmark study found tobacco use among Cambodian men is closely tied to poverty, limited education, manual/agricultural work and alcohol—pointing to inequality-driven prevention needs.