Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Cambodia to remain neutral on ASEAN-China territorial dispute

Cambodia to remain neutral on ASEAN-China territorial dispute

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
The virtual ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) meetings were held before the 36th ASEAN summit on Friday. Foreign Ministry

Cambodia to remain neutral on ASEAN-China territorial dispute

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn told an informal meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers on Wednesday that Cambodia will stay neutral on the South China Sea.

He appealed to all stakeholders to continue fostering a conducive environment that contributes to the end of the territorial conflict.

Sokhonn made his statement during an ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) meeting and the 26th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) via video conference. The meetings were being held before the 36th ASEAN summit on Friday.

“On the South China Sea issue, Cambodia, a non-claimant state, wishes to stay neutral on territorial disputes, and we hope that all parties concerned will continue to maintain a conducive environment for safeguarding peace, security and stability in the region,” Sokhonn said.

He said besides the epidemiological and socio-economic challenges, ASEAN is facing mounting geopolitical predicaments as a result of the intensified strategic competition between the great powers.

“Despite mounting pressure on ASEAN centrality, ASEAN states are not interested in choosing sides and are supportive of a rules-based multilateral system, which has come under continuous attack,” he said.

The ministry’s press release said ASEAN foreign ministers also exchanged views on regional and international affairs, including the Rohingya conflict in Rakhine state in western Myanmar and issues on the Korean Peninsula.

The ASEAN website said the Friday summit will discuss strengthening cooperation on public health and a Covid-19 regional recovery plan. The meeting will be hosted by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the rotating president of ASEAN.

Kin Phea, director of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said on Thursday that the Kingdom’s stance on the South China Sea was correct because Cambodia is not linked to this territorial dispute.

“I agree with what Prak Sokhonn said. This stance is important for China-ASEAN relation as well as bilateral relations between all ASEAN members with China,” Phea sad.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • PM to open new Siem Reap int’l airport December 1

    Prime Minister Hun Manet and Chinese leaders would jointly participate in the official opening of the new Chinese-invested Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport on December 1. The airport symbolises a new page in the history of Cambodian aviation, which will be able to welcome long-distance flights to

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • Minimum wage set at $204, after Sep 28 vote

    The minimum wage for factory workers in the garment, footwear and travel goods industries for 2024 has been decided at $204 per month, with the government contributing $2. Following several negotiation sessions, the tripartite talks reached an agreement during a September 28 vote, with 46 of 51 votes supporting the $202 figure.