By:
• Meng Seavmey

• September 26, 2024 , 7:15 PM

PHNOM PENH – The US and Cambodia pledged stronger ties and enhanced engagement when Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea met US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell on Sept. 25 in New York.

Foreign affair analyst Seun Sam, a researcher at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the meeting was fruitful despite the ups and downs in the relationship.

Aside from their attendance of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, both parties met to discuss cooperation and said they were satisfied with the progress.

Cooperation was discussed especially within the ASEAN framework, in which Cambodia assumed the role of country coordinator for the ASEAN-US dialogue relations for 2024-2027.

After the meeting, Campbell said they had also discussed “how the United States can deepen our relationship with Cambodia, address issues of mutual concern, and support Cambodia as ASEAN's next country coordinator.”  

Seun Sam said the meeting was a good sign to show Cambodia's multi-colored foreign policy because some media had often interpreted that “Cambodia is too close with China”.

However, both sides are still learning about one another, particularly Cambodia’s new Prime Minister Hun Manet’s foreign policy.

This month, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned Cambodian tycoon Ly Yong Phat, who is also a parliament member, for alleged human rights abuses related to forced labor in online investment scams. The news triggered criticism from Cambodian officials and organizations.

“The meeting of high delegations is a good thing. Regardless, the meeting could not completely ease the tension. One meeting would not be able to ease such tension immediately,” Seun Sam said.

“The US must have found something through their investigations but Cambodia should hold an official meeting to explain the truth related to the tycoon if the country denies such allegations.”

The analyst said the long-time relationship has reached a stage where the US is “testing new foreign policy and leadership of the new prime minister”, whereas international scholars have been comparing Hun Manet's to Hun Sen's foreign policy.

The US wants to know whether he will “follow the former prime minister and his father's footstep, and to see if his leadership aims to get the two countries closer”, considering that Hun Manet completed his military doctorate at the US Military Academy at West Point.

Seun Sam said Cambodia and the US relationships had been up and down and Cambodia should learn more about the other party too, as the US remains a major market for exports.