southeast asia and china: mainland and island perspectives

8/11/2019 Southeast Asia and China: Mainland and Island Perspectives

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Southeast

Asia

and

China:

Southeast

Asia

and

China:

Mainland

and

Island

PerspectivesMainland and Island Perspectives

SophalSophal

Ear, PhDEar, PhD

Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor

US

Naval

Postgraduate

SchoolUS

Naval

Postgraduate

SchoolPACFLT RSEPPACFLT RSEP

16 July 201116 July 2011



Dimensions of Chinese Influence

• Garments, construction, telecommunications,

fiber optics,

pharmaceuticals,

gold

mining,

oil,

agro‐industry…

•

You

name

it.• But why?



China’s

Geopolitical

Interests



Damning the Mekong



Perennial Droughts: Climate Change or Perennial Droughts: Climate Change or

Chinese Dams?

Cambodian

PM

says

not

Chinese

Dams?

Cambodian

PM

says

not

China!China!



1999: Speaking of Chinese Largess 1999: Speaking of Chinese Largess

Cambodian Senate

ComplexCambodian

Senate

Complex (which has its own golf range)(which has its own golf range)



2009: Tomb2009: Tomb‐‐like Council of Ministers Buildinglike Council of Ministers Building



Not Just Architectural Monstrosities…

• 2005‐2007 China delivered

15 patrol boats to Cambodia

to bolster

its

ageing

fleet.

• AFP: “The [latest] hand‐over

came less than a month

before the

expected

visit

of

the American warship USS

Essex, the latest in a series

of high‐profile US Navy

stops in Cambodia.”



Money tooMoney too……

•• China surpassed the US China surpassed the US

as

a

donor

to

Cambodia as a donor to Cambodia

in 2006, when the US in 2006, when the US

disbursed $51 milliondisbursed $51 million

••

$600 million

in

$600

million

in

““aidaid””

often citedoften cited

•• $1.2 billion in $1.2 billion in

““investmentinvestment””

signed in

signed

in

December 2009 during December 2009 during

visit of China's Vice visit of China's Vice

President Xi

President

Xi

JinpingJinping



Uyghurs

vs. Trucks vs. $1.2bn.

• "If the US gives us

the

equipment,

we

are happy. And if they won't give it to

us, it

is

also

good.”

Khieu

Kanharith, Cambodian gov’t

spokesman

• December 2009:

Day

before

$1.2bn

from

China,

20

ethnic Uyghurs

sent back to China

• April 2010 “consequences”: 200 US trucks and trailers

for Cambodia

cancelled



Engaged But Not MarriedEngaged But Not Married

•• ““It is the rights [It is the rights [sicsic] of U.S. ] of U.S. ……

to either donate or to either donate or suspend such assistance. Cambodia is implementing its suspend such assistance. Cambodia is implementing its

own policy

and

laws

within

the

frameworks

[own

policy

and

laws

within

the

frameworks

[sicsic]

of

full

] of

full

sovereignty sovereignty ……

That means U.S. can implement their That means U.S. can implement their policy and we can implement ours.policy and we can implement ours.””

——KoyKoy

Kong, spokesman

for

Ministry

of

Foreign

Affairs

Kong,

spokesman

for

Ministry

of

Foreign

Affairs

and International Cooperation told Xinhuaand International Cooperation told Xinhua

•• May 2010: 257 military trucks and 50,000 military May 2010: 257 military trucks and 50,000 military

uniforms donated

by

Chinauniforms

donated

by

China

•• ““They are all brandThey are all brand‐‐new trucks... from the factory.new trucks... from the factory.””

——Cambodian PMCambodian PM

southeast asia and china: mainland and island perspectives

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