Christopher Anderson, the nominee to become the next US ambassador to Cambodia, says dismantling scam centres would be his leading priority if confirmed, alongside stronger economic and security cooperation and closer engagement with regional institutions.
Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on July 16, Anderson said criminal networks behind online scam operations have stolen tens of billions of dollars from Americans while exploiting hundreds of thousands of people through forced criminality and human trafficking.
“This is both a law enforcement imperative and a humanitarian one,” he told the committee, pledging urgent cooperation with Cambodian authorities and regional partners.
Anderson also said he would press Cambodia on human rights concerns, including politically motivated prosecutions and restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.
On the economic front, he emphasized the importance of a more stable and predictable environment for governments and private businesses. He pointed to recent initiatives—including a reciprocal trade agreement and an Open Skies agreement—as potential foundations for attracting more US and international investment.
Security cooperation would advance gradually, he said. Despite Prime Minister Hun Manet’s assurances that Ream Naval Base is open to friendly countries, international skepticism remains. Anderson proposed deeper engagement and incremental partnerships designed to strengthen bilateral trust.
He also described ASEAN as an important regional partner and highlighted the Mekong–US Partnership as a promising framework for economic and natural-resource cooperation among the five Mekong countries.
Anderson currently serves as national security adviser to Senator Steve Daines. According to the US Department of State, he has more than 17 years of experience across the executive and legislative branches in foreign affairs, defense, intelligence, sanctions, illicit finance, and veterans policy.
Source: Kiripost. Original reporting by Mao Sreypich, published July 17, 2026.