Details

The discussion will be organized by the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, supported by KAS Cambodia.

After strong Chinese support behind the victory of Cambodian revolutionaries in 1975, Chinese-Kampuchean bonds were very close. Replacement of a pro-Chinese with a pro-Vietnamese government in 1979 resulted in a hiatus of Chinese-Cambodian relations for more than a decade (notwithstanding Chinese support for the anti-government Cambodian opposition). Slowly improving after 1993, relations have meanwhile assumed a completely new dynamic and dimension due to China’s economic rise. The People’s Republic of China’s far-reaching abilities and willingness to invest in development, and in the influencing of Southeast Asian countries, will be a constant in Chinese-Cambodian relations for the foreseeable time. Obviously, Chinese-Cambodian relations are highly asymmetric. What are potential impacts? Are there alternatives? What effect might South China Sea controversies have? What are prospects offered by the different concepts of AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) and TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership)?

The questions raised will be discussed with Dr. Bernd Schäfer, Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center’s Cold War International History Project (CWIHP) and Professorial Lecturer at George Washington University.