28 Jul 07 - 29 Jul 07
By Den Surin
Moneakseka Khmer
Translated from Khmer and posted online
Fearing that Taiwan would declare independence and become a UN member, Beijing has ordered the Cambodian Government to help block Taipei's recent moves. Beijing wants Taiwan to remain an integral part of China. It does not want Taiwan to be an independent state or a member of the United Nations. This is because Beijing wants to muster force to control all of Asia and enter into a global competition because in Asia nowadays China has to face many countries, such as Korea, Japan, and the Middle East. For this reason, China wants to have a single force and does not accept two or three Chinas or a splintered China.
Recently, Taiwan organized a referendum to see whether the Taiwanese people want to be independent of Beijing or want to be its satellite. However, this plebiscite was disturbed by Beijing because Beijing threatened to use military force against Taiwan under a certain pretext. Now, Taipei asked its citizens to hold another referendum and it would submit the Taiwanese people's decision to the United Nations in a move to ask the world body to accept it as a member.
Seeing this, Beijing has told the Cambodian Government to oppose Taiwan's intention to become a country independent from China. Beijing sent its female diplomat, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Mrs. Zhang Jinfeng, to meet with Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and urge him to help politicking on the international stage in a bid to block Taipei's policy because it did not want Taiwan to achieve independence.
Beijing has threatened that an independent Taiwan could pose a danger to peace, stability, and security in the region because Beijing might use military force against Taipei's stance. Beijing called Taipei's policy of organizing a referendum on Taiwan's independence a new trick of the enemy. However, some diplomats have claimed that Taipei's stance was correct because a plebiscite is democratic since the decision comes directly from the people. Therefore, if the entire people of Taiwan opt for independence, Beijing must respect the decision of the Taiwanese people.
A Foreign Ministry official said that in the meeting between Hor Namhong and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Mrs. Zhang Jinfeng, Hor Namhong told the latter that Cambodia holds that there is only one China and the Foreign Ministry will advise Cambodia's ambassador to the United Nations to help prevent any move by Taiwan to demand independence from Beijing. Hor Namhong also informed Mrs. Zhang Jinfeng that when he meets in Asia he will also tell ASEAN to help block Taipei's policy of demanding independence from Beijing.
According to a Phnom Penh-based Asian diplomat, Cambodia is not the only country to be told by Beijing to help prevent Taiwan from winning UN recognition and to recognize only one China. This Asian diplomat said that Beijing also asked the same thing from Vietnam, Thailand, and other ASEAN members. But some countries did not pay any attention to this Chinese policy, such as Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Vietnam used to be a Chinese satellite and it also used to double-cross China by siding with the Soviet Union. Now that Beijing begged Hanoi for help, Hanoi remained silent. This is because Hanoi does not want to hurt its economic interests with Taipei and other countries involved. However, not only did Cambodia whose rulers were subservient to Beijing accept the Chinese request in a bilateral meeting but it even overtly promised to help conduct political diplomacy for Beijing's sake.
The same Asian diplomat said that Beijing's policy is one that does not help anyone openly, except the Khmer Rouge. Beijing helped the Khmer Rouge without reserve. With the rest, it would not reach out, always abstaining. For example, China remains mute even regarding Thailand's open opposition to any move to have UNESCO classify Preah Vihear temple among the world heritage sites.
The same diplomat said that although presently the whole world sees that Cambodia is under China's protection, but if Cambodia has problems with any country one should not expect Beijing to overtly and unreservedly come to Cambodia's rescue. Maybe it would help Cambodia, but only very secretively, because China is afraid of hurting its own interests. On the contrary, whenever China gives it orders, Cambodia would jump to the occasion and would do anything for China, not just inside Cambodia but also on the international stage.
Recently, Taiwan organized a referendum to see whether the Taiwanese people want to be independent of Beijing or want to be its satellite. However, this plebiscite was disturbed by Beijing because Beijing threatened to use military force against Taiwan under a certain pretext. Now, Taipei asked its citizens to hold another referendum and it would submit the Taiwanese people's decision to the United Nations in a move to ask the world body to accept it as a member.
Seeing this, Beijing has told the Cambodian Government to oppose Taiwan's intention to become a country independent from China. Beijing sent its female diplomat, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Mrs. Zhang Jinfeng, to meet with Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and urge him to help politicking on the international stage in a bid to block Taipei's policy because it did not want Taiwan to achieve independence.
Beijing has threatened that an independent Taiwan could pose a danger to peace, stability, and security in the region because Beijing might use military force against Taipei's stance. Beijing called Taipei's policy of organizing a referendum on Taiwan's independence a new trick of the enemy. However, some diplomats have claimed that Taipei's stance was correct because a plebiscite is democratic since the decision comes directly from the people. Therefore, if the entire people of Taiwan opt for independence, Beijing must respect the decision of the Taiwanese people.
A Foreign Ministry official said that in the meeting between Hor Namhong and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Mrs. Zhang Jinfeng, Hor Namhong told the latter that Cambodia holds that there is only one China and the Foreign Ministry will advise Cambodia's ambassador to the United Nations to help prevent any move by Taiwan to demand independence from Beijing. Hor Namhong also informed Mrs. Zhang Jinfeng that when he meets in Asia he will also tell ASEAN to help block Taipei's policy of demanding independence from Beijing.
According to a Phnom Penh-based Asian diplomat, Cambodia is not the only country to be told by Beijing to help prevent Taiwan from winning UN recognition and to recognize only one China. This Asian diplomat said that Beijing also asked the same thing from Vietnam, Thailand, and other ASEAN members. But some countries did not pay any attention to this Chinese policy, such as Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Vietnam used to be a Chinese satellite and it also used to double-cross China by siding with the Soviet Union. Now that Beijing begged Hanoi for help, Hanoi remained silent. This is because Hanoi does not want to hurt its economic interests with Taipei and other countries involved. However, not only did Cambodia whose rulers were subservient to Beijing accept the Chinese request in a bilateral meeting but it even overtly promised to help conduct political diplomacy for Beijing's sake.
The same Asian diplomat said that Beijing's policy is one that does not help anyone openly, except the Khmer Rouge. Beijing helped the Khmer Rouge without reserve. With the rest, it would not reach out, always abstaining. For example, China remains mute even regarding Thailand's open opposition to any move to have UNESCO classify Preah Vihear temple among the world heritage sites.
The same diplomat said that although presently the whole world sees that Cambodia is under China's protection, but if Cambodia has problems with any country one should not expect Beijing to overtly and unreservedly come to Cambodia's rescue. Maybe it would help Cambodia, but only very secretively, because China is afraid of hurting its own interests. On the contrary, whenever China gives it orders, Cambodia would jump to the occasion and would do anything for China, not just inside Cambodia but also on the international stage.
1 comment:
When you have a stupid, moreon and dumb leaders such Hun Sen and Sihanouk. What do you expect? They served only the interest of other countries like China and Vietnam. They don't care what khmer people suffered or died as long as they're in power for the rest of their lives.
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