Prime Minister Hun Sen announced a 10% cut in export fees on garments and appealed to workers to stop strikes in order to avoid more turmoil in the already faltering sector. The announcement was made during the 14th government-private sector Forum following a request by Van Sou Ieng, President of the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC).

GMAC had asked for a cut of 30% to assist exporters. Hun Sen also appealed to workers to stop striking, saying that Vietnam and China are gaining a competitive advantage over Cambodia in terms of productivity.

About 28 garment factories recently closed and the bosses escaped without paying workers. Tens of thousands of workers have already been laid off as garment orders drop due to decreased demand in the United States, Cambodia's biggest buyer.