យុទ្ធសាស្ត្រសន្តិសុខជាតិរបស់កម្ពុជា

 Overview of Cambodia's National Security Strategy



Cambodia's national security strategy is rooted in its post-conflict recovery, emphasizing neutrality, sovereignty, and pragmatic engagement with global powers to ensure stability and development. The strategy is articulated through key documents like the 2022 Defence White Paper (DWP) and the 2024 Defence Strategic Update (DSU), which build on earlier policies such as the 2000 and 2006 white papers. These outline a multifaceted approach focusing on border security, internal stability, countering non-traditional threats, and international cooperation. Cambodia's foreign policy, as defined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC), prioritizes independence, territorial integrity, and fostering friendly relations while avoiding foreign interference. The Pentagonal Strategy - Phase I integrates security with economic goals, enhancing social protection systems to bolster resilience during crises, though it primarily addresses growth and well-being. Overall, the strategy adopts a "loose alignment" to balance influences from China and the US, leveraging ASEAN for regional stability.



Threat Assessment


Cambodia's strategy identifies a dynamic threat landscape, blending traditional and emerging risks:



Global and Regional Threats: Geopolitical tensions, including wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, potential flashpoints in Taiwan and the South China Sea, and great power competition, are seen as destabilizing factors that could spill over into Southeast Asia. Regional border disputes, such as the July 2025 clashes with Thailand over the Preah Vihear temple and Gulf of Thailand claims, highlight ongoing vulnerabilities, exacerbated by landmines and airstrikes.



National Threats: Internal subversion through "color revolutions," disinformation, and foreign interference; transnational crimes like human trafficking and illegal fishing; cyber attacks on infrastructure; terrorism; and non-traditional issues such as pandemics, climate change (e.g., sea-level rise), and natural disasters.


Geopolitical Influences: Deepening Chinese ties raise concerns about overdependence, while US criticisms of democratic backsliding strain relations, potentially limiting cooperation. From the US perspective, China's upgrades to Ream Naval Base and political influence pose risks to regional security, including potential PLA access despite Cambodia's constitutional prohibitions.



The 2024 DSU emphasizes economic security as a new priority, linking it to cybersecurity and defense industry development amid global instability.



Key Strategic Components


Cambodia's strategy is pragmatic, focusing on self-reliance, modernization, and multilateralism:



Border and Territorial Defense: Prioritizes land, maritime, and air borders through diplomacy, infrastructure (e.g., Ream Naval Base upgrades, radar systems), joint patrols, and military presence. Recent Thai conflicts underscore the need for enhanced capabilities, with China providing modernization support like multiple-rocket-launcher systems.


Internal Security and Reform: Combats subversion and crimes via inter-agency cooperation, RCAF reforms (e.g., army restructuring since the 1990s), human resource development, and conscription. Emphasis on military history and the "Win-Win Policy" to foster national unity.



Non-Traditional Security: Builds capabilities for HA/DR, pandemic response (drawing from COVID-19), and cybersecurity through legal frameworks, training, and international partnerships.


Resource Allocation: Proposes increasing defense budget to 2.5% of GDP by 2025 and 2.7% by 2030, with focus on technology (AI, robotics) and self-reliant defense industry.


The following table summarizes core strategic pillars:


Pillar - Key Focus Areas  - Implementation Measures


Border Security Land/maritime/air defense, dispute resolution Diplomacy, infrastructure upgrades, joint operations


Internal Stability Counter subversion, transnational crimes RCAF reform, specialized forces, social harmonization



Non-Traditional Threats  Cyber, disasters, pandemics Legal frameworks, training, tech investment


Economic Security  Link growth to defense resilience  Defense industry development, integration with Pentagonal Strategy.



International Relations and Cooperation


Cambodia pursues "accommodation" towards major powers, deepening ties with China for economic and military aid while seeking balanced engagement with the US. Active in ASEAN (e.g., ADMM, ARF) and UN peacekeeping (aiming for "Mine-Free Cambodia 2025" and increasing female participation), it enhances capabilities through MOUs, joint exercises, and information sharing. Relations with the US are strained by governance issues and USAID withdrawal, but opportunities exist in counterterrorism and demining; the US aims to counter PRC influence through economic and democratic support. Recent X posts highlight Cambodian calls for US investigation into Thailand's use of F-16s in the July conflict, reflecting efforts to leverage US ties for security.



Challenges and Outlook



Challenges include balancing China-US rivalries, resolving border disputes (e.g., with Thailand and Vietnam), and addressing internal democratic concerns that limit Western partnerships. The strategy's outlook is adaptive, with triennial reviews and focus on 2030 goals for a modern RCAF. Success depends on diversifying alliances and integrating security with economic ambitions, potentially positioning Cambodia as a stable regional actor if it navigates great power competition effectively.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

បញ្ហារបស់កម្ពុជា ងាកទៅរកចិន

Image
 And What It Means for Washington’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Chinese President Xi Jinping smiles next to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh, October 2016.  When Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen claimed a landslide victory in the country’s July 29 elections, most international observers quickly denounced the results as rigged. Given that the election has helped consolidate Hun Sen’s 33-year, increasingly authoritarian hold on power, these accusations are troubling. Even more troubling, however, may be Hun Sen’s recent tilt toward China and the increasing local and regional benefits Beijing is receiving from its relationship with Cambodia. For myriad reasons, Washington has long considered Cambodia a strategic lost cause. Yet the country’s Chinese turn should serve as a warning of what China’s growing economic presence, especially in authoritarian countries, will mean for Southeast Asia and Eurasia more broadly. To respond effectively, the United States and its allies n...
Read more

ទស្សនៈ​អ្នក​វិភាគ៖ ហានិភ័យ​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច​នៃ​ជម្លោះ​ព្រំដែន​កម្ពុជា​ជាមួយ​ថៃ

 Analysts' Perspectives: Economic Risks of Cambodia's Border Dispute with Thailand As of August 19, 2025, the ongoing border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand—escalating with skirmishes in May, airstrikes in July, and a shaky ceasefire—has drawn significant concern from analysts regarding its economic implications for Cambodia. Drawing from reports by Mekong Strategic Capital, EuroCham Cambodia, and other experts, the conflict poses short-term risks to GDP growth, trade, tourism, remittances, and investment. While Cambodia's economy shows resilience through low debt and diversification potential, prolonged tensions could exacerbate vulnerabilities in an already trade-dependent nation. Below is a synthesized analysis based on recent assessments. Overview of the Dispute's Economic Context The dispute centers on historical border claims, including areas near the Preah Vihear temple, and has led to border closures, trade restrictions, and nationalist sentiments disrupti...
Read more

ការបង្កើតសន្តិភាព ឬការលេងអំណាច? ការប្រកួតប្រជែងរបស់សហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក និងចិនសម្រាប់ឥទ្ធិពលសកល

Image
  There is one notable element of the July 28 ceasefire meeting in Kuala Lumpur between Cambodia and Thailand under the auspices of the ASEAN Chair, Malaysia: the participation of senior representatives from both the U.S. and China. China’s mediating role in the conflict between its two immediate neighbors, which also have cultivated growing economic and defense ties with Beijing, is far from unexpected. In contrast, the active mediation of the U.S. in the Thai-Cambodian border conflict is unprecedented considering U.S. President Donald Trump’s America First doctrine, characterized by domesticism, deep skepticism toward global governance and international institutions, and indifference to regions viewed as ‘peripheral’ to U.S. immediate interests, such as Southeast Asia. Does the peacemaking scene in Kuala Lumpur signal the strategic quest for global leadership between the U.S. and China? The answer is mixed and multifaceted depending on the politico-economic contexts, the region c...
Read more