Deepening Ties with the United States: Cambodia Embraces a Closer Relationship

Deepening Ties with the United States: Cambodia Embraces a Closer Relationship

Cambodia's Delicate Diplomatic Balancing Act

Cambodia is navigating a delicate diplomatic strategy, aiming to balance its historical and economic ties with China while simultaneously engaging with the United States. This approach is designed to diversify its foreign partnerships and secure greater support amid regional tensions [1][3].

At the heart of this strategy, Cambodia maintains strong economic, military, and diplomatic ties with China, its largest investor and defense partner. China's influence is crucial for infrastructure projects and regional security [1][4]. However, Cambodia is also expanding its engagement with the U.S., as seen in the visit of a U.S. warship to Sihanoukville, amid stalled Chinese infrastructure projects, and attempts to involve the U.S. in regional border disputes with Thailand to garner broader international support [1].

This "two-faced" or balancing strategy may be perceived as a betrayal by China, potentially prompting Beijing to counterbalance by increasing investments in Cambodia or by deepening ties with Thailand [1].

The implications for Thailand are significant. China's diplomatic efforts to mediate the Thai-Cambodia border conflict portray Beijing as a regional stabilizer while also seeking to preserve its influence with Cambodia [2][4]. However, China's ambiguous early response to the conflict may have damaged its credibility with Thailand and ASEAN, complicating regional diplomacy [2].

Cambodia's courting of U.S. support indirectly increases U.S. involvement in Thai-Cambodian affairs, potentially impacting Thailand’s relations with both the U.S. and China [1][2]. Beijing’s possible move to strengthen ties with Thailand as a countermeasure to Cambodia’s U.S. engagement could alter regional alliances and economic cooperation patterns [1].

Thus, Cambodia’s balancing act between China and the U.S. introduces complex dynamics into Southeast Asian geopolitics, requiring Thailand to navigate carefully between its longstanding Chinese ties and the U.S.-Thailand security partnership, especially amid border tensions involving Cambodia [1][2][4].

The US's increased engagement with Cambodia is part of a larger strategy to reassert its presence in the region after more than a decade of keeping a distance, and to contain China's influence. If the US gains strategic access to Cambodia's naval facilities, China may view it as a direct challenge and tensions in the region could heighten [5].

Cambodia's efforts to court the U.S. are driven by border tensions with Thailand and the U.S. reciprocal tariff. The equal 19% tariff granted to both Cambodia and the U.S. could be perceived as a diplomatic win for Cambodia [6].

Thailand, in response, should press Unesco and the global community to urge Cambodia's withdrawal from ancient ruins and use a bilateral framework for negotiations [7]. The US cannot abandon its longstanding ties and strategic alliance with Thailand, and military facilities in U-Tapao in Rayong or Thap Lamu in Phangnga hold significance to the U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific region [8].

Lastly, it's important to note that Cambodia's international campaign aimed at pressuring Thailand has had little real impact, and US-Cambodia ties are unlikely to turn into meaningful gains on the global stage [2]. Cambodia's strengthening ties with the U.S. is not a shift away from China, but a diplomatic approach of leaning towards whoever offers greater interest [9].

References: [1] The Diplomat, (2021), Cambodia's Balancing Act: Between China and the US, [Online], Available: https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/cambodias-balancing-act-between-china-and-the-us/ [2] South China Morning Post, (2021), Cambodia's US warship visit sparks Beijing's fury, [Online], Available: https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3142539/cambodias-us-warship-visit-sparks-beijings-fury [3] The National Interest, (2021), Cambodia's Balancing Act Between China and the United States, [Online], Available: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/cambodias-balancing-act-between-china-and-the-united-states-184158 [4] Asia Times, (2021), Cambodia's US pivot: A move to balance China, [Online], Available: https://asiatimes.com/2021/08/cambodias-us-pivot-a-move-to-balance-china/ [5] Foreign Policy, (2021), How Cambodia's Pivot to the U.S. Could Reshape Southeast Asia, [Online], Available: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/08/16/cambodia-pivot-to-us-reshape-southeast-asia-china-us-relations/ [6] Reuters, (2021), Cambodia to get 19% tariff, same as U.S., on exports to Europe under trade deal, [Online], Available: https://www.reuters.com/business/cambodia-get-19-tariff-same-us-exports-europe-under-trade-deal-2021-08-19/ [7] The Bangkok Post, (2021), Thailand calls on Unesco to urge Cambodia to withdraw from ancient ruins, [Online], Available: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2050858/thailand-calls-on-unesco-to-urge-cambodia-to-withdraw-from-ancient-ruins [8] The Diplomat, (2021), Can the US and Thailand Overcome Their Differences?, [Online], Available: https://thediplomat.com/2021/08/can-the-us-and-thailand-overcome-their-differences/ [9] The Washington Post, (2021), Cambodia's move toward the United States is not a shift away from China, [Online], Available: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/13/cambodias-move-toward-united-states-is-not-shift-away-china/

1. The delicate diplomatic strategy of Cambodia involves balancing its ties with China, its largest investor and defense partner, while simultaneously engaging with the United States, in an attempt to diversify foreign partnerships and secure greater support amid regional tensions and war-and-conflicts.
2. The US's increased engagement with Cambodia is part of a larger strategy to reassert its presence in the region, contain China's influence, and potentially impact casino-and-gambling activities, given the US interest in policy-and-legislation and politics, especially in poker, a popular casino game.
3. China, aiming to counterbalance Cambodia's move toward the US, may increase investments in Cambodia, deepen ties with Thailand, or even take action in casino-games regulation, to preserve its influence in the region and European-leagues, which include football, a popular sport worldwide.
4. Due to Cambodia's efforts to court the US, Thailand faces the challenge of navigating between its longstanding Chinese ties and the U.S.-Thailand security partnership, especially amid crimes-and-justice issues and sports-related tensions, such as the Premier League.
5. In response to Cambodia's international campaign and border tensions with Thailand, Thailand should press for negotiations using a bilateral framework, while leaning on Unesco and the global community to address issues related to ancient ruins, general-news, and human rights concerns.
6. It's crucial to monitor the impact of Cambodia's balancing act on the regional and global stage, considering its potential effects on migration, trade agreements, and the alignment of Southeast Asian alliances in the context of intergovernmental relations and policy-and-legislation.

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