NAVIGATING GREAT POWER RIVALRY: CAMBODIA’S STRATEGIC NEUTRALITY AND THE GEOPOLITICS OF THE REAM NAVAL BASE MODERNIZATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/aisr.2025.46Keywords:
Cambodia Foreign Policy, US-China Strategic Rivalry, Ream Naval Base, Permanent Neutrality, Small State DiplomacyAbstract
This study investigates the complexities of Cambodia’s foreign policy amid the intensifying United States-China strategic rivalry, specifically analyzing the geopolitical implications of the Chinese-funded modernization of the Ream Naval Base and employing a qualitative research design with thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews from diverse stakeholders—including scholars, diplomats, and activists—the paper examines how Phnom Penh navigates its constitutional commitment to "permanent neutrality" amid the pressures of great-power competition. The findings reveal a critical paradox: while Cambodia strives for strategic autonomy and strict adherence to a rules-based order, its heavy reliance on Chinese economic and military assistance, particularly for the Ream upgrade, has strained relations with Washington and raised concerns regarding regional stability. The study argues that Cambodia’s maneuvering is not merely a choice between alignment and non-alignment but a survival strategy driven by domestic regime security and economic necessities. Ultimately, the research highlights the precarious dilemma faced by small states in the Indo-Pacific, suggesting that Cambodia seeks to maintain an equilibrium in which it can leverage Chinese support without alienating the U.S. export market, which remains essential to its sustainable development.
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