Arya News - At the Cambodian pavilion, traditional hol silk, handmade bags, jewellery, sculptures, decorative metalwork, and unique agricultural products showcased the skills of Cambodian artisans while offering small businesses an opportunity to improve their products for international buyers.
PHNOM PENH – Cambodian handicraft entrepreneurs are using the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) to raise the international profile of Khmer-made products, attract returning customers and pursue business partnerships, although they concede that years of participation have yet to generate major export agreements.
At the Cambodian pavilion in Nanning, traditional hol silk, handmade bags, jewellery, sculptures and decorative metalwork along with unique agriculture products showcased the skills of Cambodian artisans while offering small businesses an opportunity to study market demand and improve their products for Chinese, ASEAN and international buyers.
The displays of patterned Khmer silk bags stood alongside silver-coloured vessels, jewellery and embossed artworks depicting Angkorian scenes.
The products attracted plenty of attention from visitors at the 23rd CAEXPO, which opened on September 17, but participating entrepreneurs said public interest had not necessarily translated into substantial orders.
Yan Chanveasna, also known as Metrey, brought Khmer silk, traditional hol fabric and bags featuring Cambodian designs to the expo, in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce.
“The main reason I wanted to participate was to show that Cambodia has beautiful, high-quality products,” she explained.
Ra Manet, owner of a handicraft business from Kampong Luong near the former royal capital of Oudong in Kandal province, has participated in the expo nine times. PHOTO: THE PHNOM PENH POST
“It is not that Cambodians cannot make these products. We can, and they are entirely handmade. I also want to promote the image of our country by showing what Cambodian people can produce,” she added.
Chanveasna has previously presented her products at exhibitions in Shanghai and markets in Europe and Japan, where she said handmade silk had greater market potential.
Her appearance in Nanning was an opportunity to test a different market and learn from other exhibitors.
However, she acknowledged that selling Cambodian silk in China remained challenging because visitors frequently compared its price with that of cheaper, mass-produced goods.
“People are interested, but they say the products are expensive. They do not yet understand the quality and work involved in producing something entirely by hand,” she noted.
“When a product is woven completely by hand, it is naturally expensive. Handmade goods are not sold cheaply anywhere,” she added.
Traditional Cambodian hol is a form of ikat textile.
Before weaving begins, sections of silk thread are bound and dyed to create the intended colours and patterns.
Weavers must then carefully align the dyed threads on the loom so that the design gradually appears in the finished fabric.
The labour-intensive process helps explain why handmade hol and silk bags cannot compete on price with factory-produced textiles.
Their commercial value instead rests on craftsmanship, cultural identity, design and the time required to make each piece.
Chanveasna said the purpose of attending was not limited to immediate sales.
She also wanted Chinese visitors and exhibitors from other ASEAN countries to recognise the quality of Cambodian craftmanship.
“We want to show people that products made by hand can also be beautiful,” she said, adding “If handmade products from all 10 countries were displayed together, Cambodian products would stand out.”
Her experience illustrated a wider practical challenge for small Cambodian businesses entering China: participating in an international exhibition may create visibility, but converting visitors into buyers requires interpretation, product information in Chinese and sustained follow-up with potential partners.
At another booth, artisan Ramaneth displayed handmade sculptures, souvenirs, jewellery, silverwork and gemstone products produced by Ramaneth Handicraft and its RGA Design brand in Kampong Luong, Kandal province.
The enterprise began operating in 2010 and works with artisans and community members. Ramaneth said it had participated in exhibitions in neighbouring countries, Vietnam and Singapore, in addition to China.
This year marked its ninth appearance at CAEXPO, dating back to the period before the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yean Chanveasna is showcasing Cambodian silk, traditional hol fabric and bags featuring Khmer-inspired designs at the expo. PHOTO: THE PHNOM PENH POST
She said repeated participation had helped the business improve its products and presentation to meet the expectations of ASEAN and international markets.
“The benefits and experience include gaining knowledge, developing and preserving Cambodian products and supporting our communities and artisans,” she said.
“We learn about the needs of businesses and the market. We have developed from an ordinary level to a standard that can be accepted at ASEAN and international levels,” she added.
Cambodian silverware has historically been produced through several labour-intensive methods, including lost-wax casting, pressing metal into moulds and hand-raising or shaping sheets of metal before decorative patterns are chased or engraved into their surfaces, according to UNESCO publication on Khmer silverware.
Kampong Luong, near the former royal capital of Oudong in Kandal province, has long been associated with traditional metalwork.
Artisans there produce decorative containers, jewellery, ceremonial objects, sculptures and souvenirs, often featuring floral, animal or Angkor-inspired motifs.
The goods displayed by Ramaneth in Nanning included engraved vessels, jewellery, ornamental containers and framed reliefs portraying Cambodian cultural imagery.
Their detailed surfaces reflected the considerable manual work involved in shaping and decorating such products.
Despite attending CAEXPO nine times, Ramaneth said the enterprise had yet to secure a major commercial agreement.
The Cambodian pavilion at the 2026 China-ASEAN Expo, which opened in Nanning, China, on September 17. PHOTO: THE PHNOM PENH POST
However, it had established contacts with potential partners and built a base of returning customers.
“In the past, we came only to display our products, but over time we have also made business connections,” she said.
“We have not yet achieved anything large or concrete, but the relationships remain. Every year, some previous customers return to buy from us and recommend our products to other people,” she added.
She described the ninth appearance as more productive than earlier visits, crediting the Ministry of Commerce with facilitating participation and encouraging links between Cambodian producers and companies interested in imports.
The two entrepreneurs’ experiences suggest that CAEXPO offers Cambodian craft businesses a platform for visibility and market testing, but an exhibition booth alone is unlikely to generate sustained exports. Long-term results will depend on whether participating businesses can secure reliable local partners, communicate the value of handmade production, adapt designs and packaging for Chinese consumers and maintain contact after the expo.