Abstract/Summary

Despite growing research on COVID-19 and its impacts on Cambodia, the extent to which COVID-19 affects Cambodia’s trade, global value chains (GVCs) and export competitiveness has not yet been well established. This study, therefore, aims to fill knowledge gaps and examine the dynamic of Cambodia’s exports, GVCs and competitiveness during the pandemic. Specifically, it analyses Cambodia’s export performance and assesses the extent to which the pandemic affects Cambodia’s export structure and dynamic comparative advantage. The paper will also conduct an empirical analysis on the impact of the pandemic on Cambodia’s participation in GVC activities based on gravity modelling. The findings from this study not only provide insights into the vulnerability of Cambodia’s trade, GVCs and competitiveness during the pandemic but also inform policy design for post-pandemic recovery.

The remainder of this paper proceeds as follows:

• Briefly discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic reshapes the global trade landscape.
• Investigates the pandemic’s impact on export performance with a strong emphasis on changes in export structure and geographical distribution of export markets.
• Elaborates the empirical specification and strategy for estimating the impact of COVID-19 on Cambodia’s participation in GVC activities.
• Assesses the change in Cambodia’s export competitiveness by analysing revealed comparative advantage for pre- and post-COVID periods.
• Draws conclusions and provides policy recommendations.