Former Khmer Rouge tribunal lawyer calls China Cam | RSS.com
A former lawyer at the Khmer Rouge tribunal has described China as Cambodia’s most unpredictable ally, suggesting Beijing is trying to balance relations with both Thailand and Cambodia even as tensions rise over their border dispute.
Kang Rithkiry wrote on Facebook on Thursday that China appears to be positioning itself as a future global leader in both economic and military terms.
He noted that while both Cambodia and Thailand purchase Chinese weapons, their approaches during the recent five-day border conflict were different. Thailand relied partly on Western-made and American aircraft, while Cambodia deployed air defense systems supplied by Russia and China.
According to Kang Rithkiry, the five-day war ended only after strong US pressure for a ceasefire. He argued that China, in contrast, seemed reluctant to intervene this time, unlike in 2008 when Beijing openly supported Cambodia during a similar border clash with Thailand.
On September 15, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported that Beijing and Bangkok had launched joint air force drills named Falcon Strike, scheduled to run through the end of the month in Thailand. The exercise will include a range of Chinese aircraft, including J10C fighter jets, which are being pitted against Sweden’s Gripen jets purchased by Thailand. Gripen fighters were also used in Thai strikes against Cambodia.
Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin sought to play down tensions, posting on his Facebook page that Beijing has consistently encouraged active dialogue since the start of the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute. He said both countries are close neighbors with no problem too great to resolve and urged them to seize the opportunity for reconciliation.
But Cambodian analysts voiced unease. Man Nat, head of the Cambodian Observation Council, told The Cambodia Daily’s Idea Talk program on September 16 that the timing of joint drills between China and Thailand could leave Cambodians disappointed in their so-called “iron-clad” friend.
Kin Phea, director of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, added that the partnership between Cambodia and China should not be mistaken for an exclusive alliance. He argued that in international relations, there are neither permanent friends nor permanent enemies, only permanent interests.
