Chinese Influence Under Scrutiny

Beijing’s sway in Cambodia causes controversy in the wake of a presidential visit.

2012-04-03

Radio Free Asia

“The Chinese and Cambodian friendship is a life and death issue for Cambodia. It provides us with a life of freedom, sovereignty and independence, and is extremely vital” - Sisowath Thomico

China’s vast influence over Cambodia has come under scrutiny following a visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao to Phnom Penh on the eve of a major regional summit, during which Cambodia tried to exclude the South China Sea territorial dispute from the official agenda.

Hu on Monday concluded a four-day visit to the capital during which he met with King Norodom Sihamoni, as well as his counterpart, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

During the visit, ahead of Cambodia’s hosting of the 2012 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit on April 3-4, Hu signed a total of 10 infrastructure cooperation agreements and pledged tens of millions of dollars in grants and loans. The two sides also agreed to double bilateral trade by 2017.

Cambodia is this year’s chair of the regional ASEAN body, which also includes Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Hu gone with Boeung Kak petition hopes

Boeung Kak villagers protest outside the Chinese Embassy yesterday. Photo by Heng Chivoan

Tuesday, 03 April 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Hu Jintao had already left the day before, but five Boeung Kak villagers were undeterred yesterday as they attempted to leave a petition for China’s president, only to be turned back by police.

The quintet, whose petition requests that Hu intervene in their land dispute with the Cambodian government and local developer Skukaku, were greeted by some 50 police officers deployed around the Chinese Embassy.

Villager representative Tep Vanny said that the police, who worked as security guards for the embassy, refused to accept the petition, claiming the embassy was not open due to the ASEAN summit.

Petition timed to Hu’s visit stymied by police

Monday, 02 April 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh

“Even though China is a communist country, it respects the rights of villagers. If Cambodia is a democracy, why were the villagers not allowed to speak out?”

Two villagers from Koh Kong province involved in a land dispute with a Chinese company were detained for questioning on Saturday afternoon, halting their plans to file a petition with the Chinese embassy during President Hu Jintao’s visit.

Thirty-three other villagers who had planned to deliver the petition protesting against Tianjin Union Development Group’s project were forced to catch a bus back to their home province, villagers told the Post yesterday.

The dispute between more than 1,100 families and the Chinese company began in 2008, after the government granted the company 36,000 hectares for a resort.

Tep Vannang, 49, a villager from the Botum Sakor district, said she and Chay Peng Hout, 57, were arrested by 10 police about 4:30pm at the bus station near Baktouk High School while seeking accommodation.

Chinese president inspects restoration work for Takeo in Angkor complex

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with a staff member during his inspection at the site of a restoration project assisted by the Chinese government on the ruined Takeo temple in the complex of the Angkor Archaeological Park, Siem Reap, Cambodia, April 1, 2012. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

SIEM REAP, Cambodia, April 1 (Xinhua) -- "The Angkor Wat is a gem of human civilization and a valuable treasure of the Cambodian people," visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao Sunday told Chinese technicians working on a restoration project in the Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia.

Inspecting the China-assisted restoration project on the ruined Takeo temple in the famous Angkor complex in northwest Cambodia, Hu said the governments of both countries "have great faith in you when you were given the formidable job of restoring the Takeo temple."

"I hope you will overcome all the difficulties and accomplish the task with solid work," the president said.

The restoration project of the Takeo temple, which was built by King Jayavarman V and Suryavarman I from the late 10th century to the early 11th century, is the second phase of the Chinese government assistance in restoring Angkor activities.

China, Cambodia issue joint statement

Chinese president Hu Jintao meets with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh, Mar. 31. (Xinhua)

Xinhua, April 2, 2012

China and Cambodia will work more quickly on an action plan for the implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries, a joint statement said Monday.

The joint statement, issued at the end of Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Cambodia, said the two sides agreed to maintain the good tradition of high-level visits and exchanges and maintain two-way visits by leaders of political parties.

The two countries will value and deepen bilateral economic cooperation and trade from a strategic perspective and further raise its scale, quality and level, the statement said.

The two sides agree that annual bilateral trade will double from the current 2.5 billion U.S. dollars to 5 billion dollars by 2017.

The Chinese side is ready to continue to provide economic assistance within its capacity to Cambodia for its national development and support Cambodia's infrastructure development, such as transportation, energy, telecommunications and water conservation.

Chinese President Concludes Three-nation Asia Trip

2012-04-02
Xinhua

Chinese President Hu Jintao left Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, for home Monday, after a state visit to the southeast Asian nation.

During the visit, Hu met Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Hu and Cambodian leaders discussed further development of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation and exchanged views on major regional issues.

The two countries also signed a host of cooperation documents, covering infrastructure, human resources, economy and tourism.

China, Cambodia Agree to Speed up Implementation of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership [-Did China undermine Vietnamese plan in Cambodia?]

2012-04-02
Xinhua

China and Cambodia will work more quickly on an action plan for the implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries, a joint statement said Monday.

The joint statement, issued at the end of Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Cambodia, said the two sides agreed to maintain the good tradition of high-level visits and exchanges and maintain two-way visits by leaders of political parties.

The two countries will value and deepen bilateral economic cooperation and trade from a strategic perspective and further raise its scale, quality and level, the statement said.

The two sides agree that annual bilateral trade will double from the current 2.5 billion U.S. dollars to 5 billion dollars by 2017.

Hu, Hun Sen say sea row should be resolved within ASEAN-China framework [-$5 billion is enough to silence Hun Xen?]

April 1, 2012

PHNOM PENH (Kyodo) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen agreed Saturday that territorial disputes in the South China Sea should not be internationalized and should be resolved within the framework of ASEAN and China, a senior Cambodian official said.

Sry Thammarong told reporters that Hu and Hun Sen addressed issues surrounding the territorial disputes over the Spratly Islands, known in China as the Nansha, during a meeting in Phnom Penh.

Hu, who arrived in Cambodia on Friday on a four-day state visit, also pledged to provide Cambodia with 250 million yuan ($31.6 million) in grants and 200 million yuan in soft loans for Cambodia's economic and infrastructure development.

The visit comes ahead of a summit meeting of ASEAN leaders in Phnom Penh that is expected to take up the issue of territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The South China Sea

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

China offered a personal "cadeau" to Samdech Aka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen: A mausoleum

Artist conceptual rendering of the mausoleum offered by China to Samdech Aka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen. Samdech suggested that the mausoleum be built at the Phnom Penh Royal Palace once it is torn down (Photo Tsingtao)

Phnom Penh, 01 April 2012 (Tsingtao) – During his meeting with Samdech Aka Moha Sena Padei Techo (SAMSPT) Hun Sen, H.E. Hu Jintao, the august President of the People’s Republic of China (hail to his reign!), asked SAMSPT Hun Sen to help slow down any talk about the South China Sea during the upcoming ASEAN summit meeting to be held in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. In response to this request, SAMSPT asks H.E. Hu Jintao (hail to his reign!) what China would be willing to offer in exchange for his friendly all-around service to China. H.E. Hu (hail to his reign!) offered to double the trade between the two countries, to which SAMSPT declined the offer by stating: “Honorable guest, Vietnam offered me the same thing. Besides, doubling the trade with China brings me nothing back since we can only export drug (through my nephew Hun To) and China is very strict about the import of such substance into its country.”

Trying to save his face on this embarrassing comment made by his host, H.E. Hu (hail to his reign!) turned to his advisors sitting behind him to solicit more ideas. H.E. Pain in-da-Guangxue, the august Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, then suggested a brilliant idea to H.E. Hu (hail to his reign!).

H.E. Hu (hail to his reign!) turned back to SAMSPT Hun Sen and told him: “I will offer you a Mao Zedong’s style mausoleum when you die!” To this suggestion, SAMSPT first flew into a fit of anger: “Honorable guest, what? You want to offer me a mouse-hole? Are you an honorable nut?”. H.E. Hu (hail to his reign!) tried to calm him down by saying: “Read my lips, I said ‘mo-so-le-um’ not ‘mouse-hole’, you Honorable Moron!”. Realizing his mistake, SAMSPT replied: “Honorable guest is very kind to this unworthy servant. Your offer pleases me immensely, so much so that I can die for it! (sic!). But, wait, there is a big problem in our country: we rely on unreliable Vietnamese electricity, if you want to keep my body frozen for posterity, what if the Vietnamese electricity is cut off, wouldn’t I become an honorable rotten ghost?”. H.E. Hu Jintao (hail to his reign!) promised his honorable host that Chinese scientists will be put to work to solve this problem in the near future. Meanwhile, he reminded his honorable host: “Whatever you do, Honorable Moron, make sure the honorable ‘goddamned’ South China Sea is not discussed, OK?”.

With that the two honorable men established a renewed all-around comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation.

ការ​ប្រកាន់​ នយោបាយ ​ផ្កាប់មុខ​ ទៅរក​ម្ខាងៗ ​មិន​មែន ​ជា​នយោបាយ​ ដ៏​ឆ្លាត​វៃ​នោះ​ឡើយ - Unbalanced relationship is not a smart move!

កម្ពុជា-ចិន ទំនាក់ទំនង​ដល់​កម្រិត​កំពូល​មួយ

សៅរ៍ 31 មីនា 2012
ដោយ ប៉ែន បូណា
RFI

នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​ចិន​និង​ សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក​កំពុង​ដណ្តើម​ឥទ្ធិពល​គ្នា​នៅ​ក្នុង​តំបន់​អាស៊ី​ប៉ាស៊ីហ្វិក ​និយាយ​ជារួម​ និង​តំបន់​អាស៊ី​ប៉ែក​អាគ្នេយ៍​និយាយ​ដោយ​ឡែក​ ទីក្រុង​ប៉េកាំង​ត្រូវ​ការ​ចាំបាច់​សម្ពន្ធ័មិត្ត​ជិត​ស្និទ្ធ​ដូច​ជា​ កម្ពុជា ​ខណៈ​ដែល​សមាជិក​អាស៊ាន​មួយចំនួន​ជាពិសេស​វៀតណាម​ និង​ហ្វីលីពីន​ជាដើម​មាន​និន្នាការ​ទៅរក​សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក។​ ដូច្នេះ ​ ការ​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន​តុល្យភាព​នៃ​ឥទ្ធិពល​មហា​អំណាច​នៅ​ក្នុង​តំបន់​គឺជា​រឿង​ សំខាន់​មួយ។ ​ប៉ុន្តែ​គេគួរ​ចងចាំ​ថា​ ការ​ប្រកាន់​នយោបាយ​ផ្កាប់មុខ​ទៅរក​ម្ខាងៗ​មិន​មែន​ជា​នយោបាយ​ដ៏​ឆ្លាត​វៃ​ នោះ​ឡើយ។

លោក ​ហ៊ូ ជិនតាវ​ ( Hu Jintao )​ ប្រធានាធិបតី​ចិន​កំពុងតែ​បំពេញ​ទស្សនកិច្ច​ជា​ផ្លូវការ​រយៈពេល​៤​ថ្ងៃ​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​ ចាប់ពី​ថ្ងៃទី​៣០​ខែ​មីនា ​ដល់​ថ្ងៃទី​២ ​ខែ​មេសា ​ឆ្នាំ​២០១២​នេះ​។​វត្តមាន​ជាលើក​ទី១​របស់​មេដឹកនាំ​កំពូល​បំផុត​នៃ​មហាយក្ស​ចិន​លើ​ទឹកដី​កម្ពុជា​ក្នុង​អំឡុង​ពេល​ជាង​មួយ​ទសវត្សរ៍​ចុង​ក្រោយ​នេះ​បាន​កើត​ឡើង​ជួន​ចំ​ពេល​ដែល​កម្ពុជា​កំពុង​តែ​រៀបចំ​ជំនួប​កំពូល​អាស៊ាន​ក្នុង​ឋានៈ​ជា​ប្រធាន​ប្តូរវេន​នៃ​សមាគម​ប្រជាជាតិ​អាស៊ី​ប៉ែក​អាគ្នេយ៍។​ ទស្សនកិច្ច​​នេះ​ត្រូវ​គេ​មើល​ឃើញ​ថា ​បាន​ផ្តល់​រូបភាព​នៃ​ទំនាក់ទំនង​កម្រិត​កំពូល​មួយ​រវាង​ទីក្រុង​ប៉េកាំង​ និង​ភ្នំពេញ​ដែល​មេដឹកនាំ​ទាំងពីរ​តែង​ចង់​បាន។

ចិន​និង​កម្ពុជា​បាន​និង​កំពុង​ពូន​ជ្រំចំណង​ទាក់ទង​របស់​ខ្លួន​ឲ្យ​ឈាន​ដល់​កម្រិត​កំពូល​មួយ។​ នេះ​ជា​ពាក្យ​ដែល​គេ​ធ្លាប់​បាន​លឺ​ជាញឹកញាប់​ចេញ​ពី​បបូរ​មាត់​របស់​មេដឹកនាំ​ប្រទេស​ទាំងពីរ។ ក្តី​ប្រាថ្នា​នេះ​ហាក់​បាន​សម្រេច​ហើយ​តាម​រយៈ​ដំណើរ​ទស្សនកិច្ច​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​របស់​មេដឹកនាំ​កំពូល​បំផុត​នៃ​ទីក្រុង​ប៉េកាំង ​គឺ​លោក​ប្រធានាធិបតី​ ហ៊ូ ជិនតាវ។

Hu Jiantao in Cambodia Ahead of Asean Summit

Cambodian students gather to welcome Chinese President Hu Jiantao as seen a car is escorted by bodyguards during his arrival at Phnom Penh International Airport, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, March 30, 2012. Hu on Friday arrived Phnom Penh on his four-day state visit to Cambodia. (Photo: AP)

Chinese President Hu Jiantao, center, arrives at Phnom Penh International Airport, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, March 30, 2012. Hu on Friday arrived Phnom Penh on his four-day state visit to Cambodia. (AP)

Friday, 30 March 2012
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“The Cambodian [Asean] presidency seems under the influence of China. This is a negative point for the whole of Asean.”

Chinese president Hu Jiantao is in Cambodia on an official state visit, coinciding with a major Asean regional meeting that began Friday in Phnom Penh.

Hu’s visit, the first from a Chinese head of state in 12 years, comes as Phnom Penh is hosting five days of meetings with top regional ministers, with Asean leaders to meet here next week.

Cambodian villagers were prevented from submitting a petition to the Chinese Embassy on Friday asking Hu’s help in curbing the tourism development of approximately 30,000 hectares in the coastal province of Koh Kong by a Chinese company.

Chinese president starts visit to Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived here Friday for a state visit aimed at enhancing the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Cambodia.

Hu was warmly greeted at the airport by Prince Ranariddh, chief adviser to the Privy Council, Princess Buppha Devi and Prince Chivanmonirak on behalf of King Norodom Sihamoni.

In a statement released at the airport, Hu said he was delighted to visit the country at the king's invitation.

He lauded the China-Cambodia friendly relationship as a good example of equality and sincere cooperation between countries, adding it served the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people, and also contributed to the stability and prosperity of the region.

Hu, Cambodian king hold talks

PHNOM PENH, 2012-03-31 (Xinhua) - Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao met Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni here Saturday to discuss the development of all-round cooperation between China and the Southeast Asian nation.

Before the meeting, Hu attended a welcome ceremony hosted by the Cambodian king.

According to his schedule, Hu will meet Cambodian Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and Prime Minister Hun Sen later Saturday.

The two sides are expected to discuss ways to enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, and exchange views on major world and regional issues of mutual concern.

Sea Clashes Loom Over Southeast Asia Summit

March 29, 2012
By JAMES HOOKWAY
The Wall Street Jorunal

Tiny Cambodia is emerging as a key pawn in the diplomatic struggle over one of the world's busiest stretches of water: the potentially energy-rich South China Sea.

The country of 15 million people is this year hosting a series of regional summits in which China's claims to the waters could loom large. Its sea tussles with countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines has raised security fears in an already jittery region. The U.S. has further angered China by saying it wants to keep the South China Sea, which carries around half the world's total trade, free and open to navigation.

Ahead of a summit by leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations next week. China's President Hu Jintao is embarking on his own four-day state visit to Cambodia Friday in what some analysts interpret as a not-so-subtle reminder of where the host nation's sympathies should lie, and a ploy to encourage Cambodia to play down the South China Sea controversy wherever possible.

Chinese President in Cambodia As Summit Opens

Friday, March 30th, 2012
Voice of America

China's President Hu Jintao is in Cambodia on a four-day state visit that coincides with a key regional summit where participants are expected to voice growing opposition to Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Mr. Hu was to meet with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and confer with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit extends through the weekend in Phnom Penh.

Analysts say it is not clear how or if the issue of competing claims to the energy-rich South China Sea will be addressed at the summit. Cambodia, the rotating ASEAN chair, recently removed the topic from the official summit agenda, ahead of China's announcement of the president's visit.

Chinese President Starts Visit to Cambodia

2012-03-30
Xinhua

Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Phnom Penh on Friday for a state visit aimed at enhancing the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between China and Cambodia.

Hu was warmly greeted at the airport by Prince Ranariddh, chief adviser to the Privy Council, Princess Buppha Devi and Prince Chivanmonirak on behalf of King Norodom Sihamoni.

In a statement released at the airport, Hu said he was delighted to visit the country at the king's invitation.

He lauded the China-Cambodia friendly relationship as a good example of equality and sincere cooperation between countries, adding it served the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people, and also contributed to the stability and prosperity of the region.

Asean meet tests China's clout

Workers prepare flags for display in central Phnom Penh on March 29, 2012.

Friday, Mar 30, 2012
Reuters

"We are not expecting any support from them," a Philippine foreign-ministry official told Reuters, referring to Cambodia and fellow "Mekong" countries Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, which have also been reluctant to raise the issue.

China's presence in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, is obvious. The city skyline is dotted with Chinese-funded projects.

But the full extent of Beijing's influence there will be tested when Chinese President Hu Jintao visits this week, ahead of a regional summit.

The timing of Mr Hu's visit has raised suspicion that Beijing may pressure Cambodia to curb discussions at a South-east Asian leaders' summit on the vexed question of the South China Sea.

Phnom Penh has already said the issue is off the agenda.

"They have the money, so they have the power," said Mr Sem On, a motorbike-taxi driver sitting on a railing near the second Chroy Changvar bridge, funded by US$27.5 million (S$35 million) in Chinese soft loans.

China’s Hu Visits Cambodia as Asean Leaders Eye Sea Disputes

Mar 29, 2012
By Daniel Ten Kate
Bloomberg

President Hu Jintao today becomes the first Chinese head of state to visit Cambodia in 12 years, in a trip days before Southeast Asian leaders gather for talks that may touch on territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Hu’s visit, which lasts until April 2, will deepen ties between Cambodia and China, its largest investor, the official Xinhua news agency reported March 27, citing the country’s ambassador in Phnom Penh, the capital. China appreciates Cambodia’s support on core interests, the report said, adding that China opposes outside interference on the South China Sea.

“Cambodians will not want to upset the Chinese by pushing the South China Sea on the agenda of the Asean meeting,” said Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asia Studies in Singapore. In the past two years, previous hosts Vietnam and Indonesia “really pushed the issue, so that momentum will slow under a Cambodian chairmanship,” he said.

Vietnam and the Philippines have pushed the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations to take a common position regarding territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where Exxon Mobil Corp. and Talisman Energy Inc. (TLM) are searching for oil and gas. Cambodia holds the bloc’s rotating chairmanship.

China influence over Cambodia to be tested at SE Asia summit

By Stuart Grudgings

PHNOM PENH, March 29 (Reuters) - China's presence in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh is obvious. The city skyline is dotted by Chinese-funded projects. But the full extent of Beijing's influence here will be tested when President Hu Jintao visits this week ahead of a regional summit.

The timing of Hu's visit has raised suspicion Beijing may pressure Cambodia to curb discussions at a Southeast Asian leaders' summit on the vexed question of the South China Sea. Phnom Penh has already said the issue is off the agenda.

"They have the money, so they have the power," said Sem On, a motorbike taxi driver sitting on a railing near the 2nd Chroy Changvar bridge, funded by $27.5 million in Chinese soft loans.

Sem On complains that the Chinese-funded bridge employed more Chinese than Cambodian labourers.