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7 — DP Vol. 05

Regional Security Dilemma: Trends, Directions, and Illusion

Welcome to the Fifth Volume of the Diplomatic Briefing! The last four editions have brought about a diverse range of perspectives and insights from different stakeholders across the globe. We hope that you all are looking forward to the fifth volume as much as we are.

It is our aspiration that the Diplomatic Briefing has by now already served its purpose of enriching the diplomatic community, policymakers, and interested stakeholders on the latest trends and challenges in the global arena that may hinder the key developments of Cambodia and threaten regional peace and stability at large. It also attempts to serve as a platform for an intellectual exchange of diverse perspectives and insights, as well as for emerging Cambodian scholars to have their research published. We sincerely hope that this momentum continues over the long-run. We have also decided to upscale this flagship publication to be published annually (rather than biannually) with a much broader range of content that is both greater in quantity and quality, and richer in substance and scale.

This fifth issue brings to you a diverse range of issues in the realm of the region's growing security dilemma and its implications thereof. Many pressing and timely subjects were brought into focus through the comprehensive insights and perspectives of our key experts across the region and beyond. We are also delighted to have the Ukrainian voice heard – both in terms of the situation on the ground and how Cambodia, as the Chair of ASEAN this year, can contribute to the promotion of a peaceful resolution to this enduring crisis. The situation in Ukraine has a substantial impact on the world economy, disrupting global supply chains and also having a spillover effect on the international rules-based order at large. Closer to home, there is a much wider debate on neighborhood diplomacy and a more mainstream discussion on major power rivalry, including its implications on ASEAN in particular and Southeast Asian politics as a whole. Other ASEAN member states’ internal politics have also been touched upon in this volume, including Myanmar’s enduring political decay, the recent election in the Philippines, and Malaysia’s upcoming elections. Some other cross-cutting issues that may hinder key developments in the region have also been featured, including the ongoing negotiation on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, the rising economic tiger – India - and its economic influence in the Indo-Pacific, the Korean Peninsula security issue, and the Global Gateway Initiative, among others.

We hope that this volume will serve to enhance a deeper and more substantive discussion on various challenges and key foreign policy setbacks one way or another. We welcome additional debate, thought-provoking insights, and diverse perspectives so that this Diplomatic Briefing publication can serve its purpose in fostering more concrete and pragmatic ideas in the future.

Enjoy the reading!

PICH Charadine

The Editorial Team

Deputy Director

Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace