This second edition of Cambodia’s Foreign Relations in Regional and Global Contexts builds on the intellectual foundations of the 2017 edition. It revisits Cambodia’s foreign relations in light of these profound transformations and offers new analyses of the Kingdom’s strategic adaptation to the emerging multipolar order. The rationale for this new edition is twofold. First, building on the foundation of the previous edition, it seeks to provide an updated discussion of Cambodia’s bilateral and multilateral engagements, while broadening the analytical scope by incorporating newly salient regions such as the Middle East and Latin America. It also highlights Cambodia’s growing use of soft power, economic statecraft, and its commitment to sustainability through climate diplomacy. Second, it aspires to offer timely academic and policy-oriented insights into how Cambodia’s long-standing foreign policy principles—neutrality, non-alignment, peaceful coexistence, and independence—are being recalibrated to respond to an increasingly complex and volatile international environment shaped by both domestic transitions and global developments.
This new edition of Cambodia’s Foreign Relations brings together both eminent and emerging Cambodian and international scholars, analysts, and practitioners who offer fresh perspectives on the country’s foreign policy and diplomacy. Their contributions provide not only factual updates but also critical reflections on how Cambodia’s external engagements have evolved in response to shifting geopolitical realities, domestic priorities, and regional integration efforts. It will also volume will serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and students seeking to better understand Cambodia’s role in an increasingly complex international environment. Beyond its analytical contributions, this publication also reflects KAS Cambodia’s enduring commitment to fostering informed dialogue, academic exchange, and regional cooperation. We firmly believe that constructive dialogue and effective collaboration must be grounded in evidence-based knowledge and mutual understanding.
