The US Should Not Let Cambodia Drift Further Into China’s Grip
An opposition leader-in-exile is warning about Beijing’s reach.
China’s investments in Cambodia: more than friends with benefits.
Photographer: Valeria Mongelli/Getty Images
Sitting on trade routes that link China, India and Southeast Asia, Cambodia’s geopolitical importance far outweighs its land mass. Beijing has invested heavily in its neighbor, building key infrastructure projects like canals and ports. But with economic largesse has come increased political influence. Ignoring that would cede more power to the world’s second-largest economy in a region that is at risk of drifting away from Washington.
China continues to be the leading foreign investor in the kingdom. Former strongman leader Hun Sen has made no secret of his affection, famously declaring: “If I don’t rely on China, who will I rely on?” In 2023, his son Hun Manet took over as prime minster, and appears to be working from the same playbook, leaning heavily on Beijing to prop up the economy.