Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Analysis: Strengthening Cambodia-China ties alarm ASEAN neighbors

A Cambodian army soldier looks at Chinese military vehicles displayed before a hand over ceremony at a military air base in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2010. Pic: AP.

Jan 29, 2013
By Michele Penna
AsianCorrespondant.com

On January 23, Moeung Samphan, Secretary of State at the Cambodian Defense Ministry, and General Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army, signed a military cooperation agreement under which 12 Chinese-built Zhi-9 helicopters will be delivered to the Royal Cambodian Army. As part of the deal, the People’s Liberation Army will also continue to provide military training to the Cambodian military.

A previous agreement under which the PLA would continue to deliver military training to Cambodian armed forces was signed in May last year, while back in 2010 Beijing had donated 250 jeeps and trucks to Cambodia’s army.

China is not the only nation providing training to the Cambodian armed forces – the United States and Australia, among others, do the same – and the recent deal is obviously limited. It does, however, highlight the growing ties between Beijing and Phnom Penh.


According to the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), China is now by far the biggest foreign investor in Cambodia. On its website, the Council shows that in 2011 Cambodia attracted $1.15 billion in Chinese investments, with an increase of 71 percent from $694 million a year earlier. From 1994 to 2011, Chinese investments totaled $8.866 billion dollars. By comparison, South Korea, the second biggest investor in the same period of time, stopped at little more $4 billion, less than China invested in 2008 alone.

Xinhua, China’s chief news agency, reports that Chinese investments have focused on “property development, mineral business and processing plants, motorcycle assembly factories, gold mining, rice mill and garment factories.”

Bilateral trade figures have dramatically improved, too. According to Xinhua, in 2011 bilateral trade between Cambodia and China amounted to 2.5 billion U.S. dollars, a staggering 73.5 percent increase from a year earlier.

Cozy relations with Beijing, however, have also put the Cambodian government under significant pressure, especially due to disputes over the South China Sea, whose islands are claimed in whole or in part by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. The Cambodian government finds itself in an awkward position as other ASEAN countries, and especially Vietnam and the Philippines, see it as a close ally of the Chinese government ready to act to the detriment of their interests.

In July 2012, a clash occurred while discussing the Code Of Conduct, a document which was supposed to prevent conflicts among members. The participants could not find an agreement on whether to mention the South China Sea in the final communiqué, with Cambodia and the Philippines struggling with each other. As a result, for the first time in 45 years, no final statement was issued and, most importantly, the whole affair turned out to be lost chance to work on a set of rules to avoid future clashes.

In November last year, tensions again flared up during the ASEAN summit hosted by Cambodia in Phnom Penh. The Cambodian side argued that members had reached a consensus not to internationalize – read “not to call in outside power in general and the United States in particular” – the South China Sea issue, but Philippines authorities contended that such a point was never agreed upon. According to Reuters, Philippine President Benigno Aquino stated that “there were several views expressed [..] on ASEAN unity which we did not realize would be translated into an ASEAN consensus,” and added that “this was not our understanding. The ASEAN route is not the only route for us. As a sovereign state, it is our right to defend our national interests.”

Given such a background, it is not a surprise that the recent military deal attracted the media’s attention. The Bangkok Post, for one, has written that while there has not been any formal reaction from neighboring countries, “Hanoi [..] is likely to view the military training of the Cambodian army with major skepticism, if not outright opposition”. The article also contends that “for Thailand, any upgrade to the Cambodian army will almost certainly result in both increasing hostility from the ultra-nationalist ‘patriots’ involved in the dispute surrounding the Preah Vihear temple. There are likely to be calls from the military to upgrade Thai forces facing Cambodia, the only country with which Thailand has had armed conflicts in recent years.”

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a positive move by China to use Cambodia as the buffer zone between Thailand and Vietnam as the check and balance in Southeast Asia! If Cambodia is strong militarily which will translate into more economic growth and more political influence in the region?

Whether Thailand and Vietnam like it or not Cambodia had been victimized by Thailand and Vietnam throughout the 20th century! Cambodia has a role to play and it must play well to serve the well-being and the stability of the country to become a full developing country!

Since the French Protectorate of Cambodia in 1863 Cambodia was never a country that invades another country in the region! It is Thailand and Vietnam that invaded Cambodia to destroy the peace, the stability, and the progress of Cambodian people! This time Cambodia must not be victimized by Thailand and Vietnam again! Never again!


Anonymous said...

This move will likely spark an arm race in the region

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with 5:01 PM. Thailand was in the same position in during the Cold Wars and took tremendous advantages from the West to push itself ahead of Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and Vietnam. Will American a good referee and being just if Thailand (stronger with more powerful army) make war (it is always threatening to do so)with Cambodia (weaker with tiny army)? Cambodia should build a better and stronger army, not to make wars, but to preserve peace.

Anonymous said...

I like the comment above! Hopely its goes the your comment about Cambodia i hope China don't play game like they had done during Yuon invasion in 1979 instead of help China stood watch or teasing Yuon by invaded Srok Yuon the pull out then turn around using Khmers to fight Yuon and its puppet alone for decades.Can we trust China again? You all can answer the question now!

...Ta pol pot

Anonymous said...

Hey this tiny army bite back, it's hurt. Last time I check of all the border fighting Siam got killed and ask for negotiation first. Last time I checked Siam had not gained an inch of our Border. Lol. We do need improvement on our outdated weapons.

Anonymous said...

Thais army treathening Cambodia daily is alarming southeast asia region, Siame and Yuon ambicious over Cambodia is alarming the region. China is southeast asia master.

Anonymous said...

To Ta Pol Pot

The problem with China is that China thinks Cambodia is a tiny country that could never make a different in the world comparing to Thailand and Vietnam. But as you know after the Cold War and China has a second thought about Cambodia! Cambodia can tip the balance of power in Southeast Asia if Cambodian military strong enough! For Cambodia to have strong military is necessity to protect Cambodian economic interest and politic influence in the region and to prevent future war!

If China beef up Cambodian military and it will be a win-win for China. Because strong Cambodian military will protect stability in Southeast Asia which will promote the free flow of goods and services to all countries in the region and all countries in Southeast Asia will benefit from the stability as well.

China must not repeat the mistake of the past and it is in the best interest of China to make Cambodia strong than before especially military and the rest will follow.

=500 or more jetfighters
=3000 tanks
=1000 warships
=missile systems variety in the thousands and thousands.
=Endless supply of landmines(can be manufacture in Cambodia).
=2 million standing armies.

I feel very comfortable with the following number but then again everything can be grown gradual to fulfill the need of Cambodia.





Anonymous said...

Pol Pot use this logic when he wage war with the Viet in 1977: to win the war with the Viet every khmer is obligated to kill 30 Vietnamese. Hun Sen logic is every khmer is obligated to kill 5 Thai. At the end we, khmer have no land to live on as khmers are substituted with the Vietnamese in Khmer land. From Lon Nol's account in the 1970's: Khmer are warriors who never afraid to die to defend their country but history shows that Khmers are good at killing their own race only. When time to face the foreigners, they are just chicken.

Anonymous said...

I agreed with many of you abow but not 1:44am that person could be Siam or Yuon nationality. Khmer Killing khmer most reason is because Yuon and Siam influance capetting inside Khmer society for a very long periot of time. As you can see, since Dap Chuon era up to this date, you're partially right what you have been seing since, but this is not necessarily Khmer faul if you understand Khmer problem!.Siam and Yuon who is the nation trigering this happened. As one of my compatriot abow has mentioned if China not to makes mistake again, this region will have peace then Khmer army will be stronger to protect homeland for hundred year to come. I hope you understand what I mean,though my alarming concern is not because Chinese help to up grading Cambodia Military but alarming from Siam & Yuon agressors over tiny Khmer Nation as we have being seen throught out century, this agression is alarming must be stop then the region enjoy peace together.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry guys. The Viets already swallow Cambodia entirely now and they, the Viets, will not share even a small piece of Cambodia with Thailand. What Thailand scared right now is the Viets and not the junk and aging army of Hun Sen.