22 July 2019 - Opinion on Chinese presence in Cambodia
I am afraid Cambodia is becoming a de facto Chinese colony with the skyrocketing increase in the number of Chinese tourists, investors, traders and settlers from all walks of life and the multiplication of all kinds of facilities exclusively serving Chinese needs and interests. There are both financial and political reasons why Hun Sen is happy with this colonisation of Cambodia by China. Firstly, such an openness and subservience to Beijing is in exchange for a massive and unprecedented financial assistance in various forms with no transparency and no consideration whatsoever for democracy, human rights and the environment. Such a unique financial support is essential for the corrupt and authoritarian Hun Sen regime to survive and for its elite to continue to thrive. Secondly, because of the increasing popular discontent which cannot be contained by democratic means, Hun Sen needs a massive Chinese presence -- including a military component -- to defend his autocratic power.
On its part, China understandably wants to turn Cambodia into an outpost to implement its expansionist strategy which implies the building of military facilities such as the ones under construction in Cambodia. But such a development will have far-reaching implications because it can jeopardise peace and stability in the region. A new democratic and responsible government in Cambodia will reverse Hun Sen's dangerous policy in relation with China and will ensure the respect for Cambodia's strict neutrality in foreign policy as enshrined in the Kingdom's constitution and in the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements which put an end to a protracted civil war. Contrary to Hun Sen, we will help strengthen the unity and cohesion of ASEAN.
Khmer
English
French
