International relations

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday appealed to the Cambodian government to “support” her country in handling the refugee crisis that has seen hundreds of thousands of Rohingya pour over its border fleeing violence and persecution in neighbouring Myanmar. ...

Cambodian maids who work in Malaysia will be given smartphones, bank accounts and counselling under a new agreement signed by the two countries yesterday, an employment agency representative said – measures intended to prevent the kind of widespread abuses that resulted in a ban on ...

The Communist Party of China has again publicly announced its strong support for the ruling CPP. The comments were made at a dinner on Wednesday night in Beijing, attended by Prime Minister Hun Sen and Song Tao, head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC. ...

In an unusually candid interview yesterday, United States Ambassador to Cambodia William Heidt questioned whether the Cambodian government ever had “an honest desire” to form a relationship with the US, as Prime Minister Hun Sen continues to claim the superpower backed a purported “revolution”. ...

Cambodia has asked the United States to delay the deportation of some of its citizens convicted of crimes in the US due to serious sicknesses and to wait until they get treatment. ...

Sweden said yesterday it was stopping new aid for Cambodia, except in education and research, and would no longer support a reform programme after the CNRP was dissolved last week. ...

The United States announced on Friday it was ending funding for the election, and promised more “concrete steps”, after the Supreme Court dissolved the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) at the request of the government, on the grounds it was plotting to seize power. ...

In the wake of the dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party last week by the Supreme Court, which effectively removes any viable opposition party from challenging next year’s national elections, the European Union issued a statement seemingly warning that the Kingdom’s preferential access through the Everything ...

The repercussions of last week’s political moves in Cambodia when the Supreme Court dissolved the main opposition party has left many wondering what the repercussions will be for local businesses. ...

Russia will send observers to the Kingdom for the upcoming national elections and has pledged to sit down to discuss Cambodia’s outstanding debt, a move that analysts yesterday saw as a sign of solidarity between two governments increasingly out of favour with the West. ...

Cambodia and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday to support the development of the Kingdom’s e-commerce business operations. ...

Cambodia has sent officials to interview refugees in the United States who are subject to deportation orders. Interior Ministry spokesman General Khieu Sopheak said about 50 refugees had been interviewed but no decision had been made on their repatriation. ...

The Apsara Authority has signed a deal with South Korea to restore and conserve the Elephant Terrace in Siem Reap’s Angkor Archaeological Park. ...

The leaders of Cambodia and Vietnam on Saturday pledged to complete border demarcation between the countries before the end of next year. ...

The Japanese government on Friday granted $3.2 million to Cambodia through the World Food Programme to provide meals to students in vulnerable communities. ...

Japan has pledged to continue providing aid to Cambodia, including support to prepare for the general election next year. Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn yesterday met with Iwao Horii, the Japanese vice-minister of foreign affairs. ...

United States Senator Ted Cruz issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday, pledging to work to ban top officials from travelling to the US unless jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha is released. ...

China will fund a restoration project, slated to start in mid-2018, at an ancient royal palace complex within the Angkor Thom archaeological site in Siem Reap province, officials said yesterday. Long Kosal, spokesman for the Apsara Authority, said the palace is centuries old, and while ...

A Swedish diplomat yesterday warned that the potential dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party could lead the Scandinavian country to rethink its relationship with the Kingdom, though she didn’t detail which actions were on the table. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen broke his avowed silence on Myanmar’s “Rohingya issue” to make a political point – and fresh election promises – at a university graduation ceremony yesterday. ...

Representatives from the United States and Japanese embassies and the European Union delegation met with the National Election Committee (NEC) yesterday about ongoing voter registration, with EU Ambassador George Edgar saying the current political tension was not addressed in detail during the meeting.​ ...

A library funded by the Chinese government and charitable donations opened to the public this weekend in Kampong Speu province’s Cbarmon district. ...

A deputy commander in the Chinese navy has praised Cambodia for supporting Beijing’s negotiations on issues in the South China Sea and the One-China stance on world affairs. ...

The Global Center for Mekong Studies (GCMS) comprises six leading regional “think tanks”: the China Institute for International Studies (CIIS); the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (CICP); the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV); the Laos Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA); the Myanmar Institute of ...