Beijing bolsters key alliance with envoy’s Cambodia trip

Foreign Minister Wang Yi has begun a two-day visit to Cambodia, a trip analysts say is intended to bolster a key Beijing ally in Southeast Asia amid Washington's growing interest in the region.

Wang will meet Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and hold talks with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong. The trip comes just days after Beijing announced its latest US$14 million gift to the country - four container scanners to use at border checkpoints.

Cambodia has long been one of China's most important allies in the region, receiving nearly US$3 billion in development aid from Beijing over the past two decades. The relationship has taken on new significance in light of increased involvement in Southeast Asia by the US and other Western nations.

Phnom Penh has provided key support to Beijing in its territorial disputes in the South China Sea. But analysts say the allies must be careful not to repeat the experience of Myanmar, where the public has grown suspicious of Beijing's intentions.

"In fact, the relationship between China and Cambodia is so close that there are concerns over [the] influence that China has over Cambodia," said Heng Pheakdey, founding director of the Enrich Institute for Sustainable Development. "China's money does come with some string[s] attached in [the] form of business and political favours.

"While Cambodia needs China's money for economic growth, China needs Cambodia for strategic and political reasons," said Heng Pheakdey, who has written extensively on Sino-Cambodian relations.