Jeffery Dou
Coach Yoakum
Debate 1 G8
2 March 2022
Choices. We’ve all had to make one or a few of them in our lifetimes. Some are obvious, a personal example being finishing this speech on time or not doing it and losing ten good points. However, some are more difficult and produce much more impactful consequences. The South Asian nation of Cambodia has largely remained neutral during its existence. But as the two world powers of the United States and China try to expand their influence, Cambodia faces a tough decision. Which side should they align with? Cambodia should align with the United States. This is because Cambodia will benefit from the foreign aid they will obtain, they will become more democratic in the process, and they will end a poor relationship with China.
Cambodia currently is a state still very reliant on foreign aid from a greater power. This can be clearly seen in the nation’s relatively poor healthcare system. A lack of proper healthcare personnel, funds, or supplies has left the country vulnerable to illnesses like HIV/AIDS and malaria. The U.S has been shown to be clearly willing to provide aid for these issues, an example being the ASSIST PROJECT, which provided much needed health advisors and funding to improve healthcare systems in not just Cambodia, but other USAID-assisted states. The U.S is also willing to invest in more areas than just healthcare in Cambodia. In 2018, the U.S invested more than 150 million dollars in aid to Cambodia, with most of that being focused on health, governance, and education. If Cambodia is willing to align with the U.S, they will be able to acquire more foreign aid, granting them better healthcare and education.
However, Cambodia has major issues within its government. Its primary head of government is Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in power since 1985. Over the course of his rule, he has not only used coups and sham elections to maintain his power, but has also been accused of murdering activists and opposition leaders and preventing fair investigation or prosecution for said crimes. The United States has made attempts to peacefully democratize Cambodia, but to no avail. If Cambodia were to align with the U.S and become more dependent on the U.S in trade and aid that provides the U.S with more leverage in negotiations, and a greater chance of a peaceful shift to democracy.
However, Cambodia has also developed a dependence on another world power, that being the People’s Republic of China. China has also invested significantly into Cambodia, but it can be argued that their relationship isn’t fully mutually beneficial. The arrival of Chinese immigrants into Cambodia has lead to growth in crimes like prostitution and overall corruption, and Chinese construction has been proven to be hazardous for workers due to poor quality inspection stemming from said corruption. Locals, especially those in rural areas, have had issues with how China’s resource extraction projects lead to pollution, deforestation, and overdamming of crucial rivers. The relationship between the two sides has not been beneficial for Cambodia, thus they should turn away from China and towards the U.S.
So, should the nation of Cambodia ally with China or the U.S. They should do the latter, as it is more beneficial to them both economically and governmentally. Everyone has to make choices, some are more important than others. Cambodia allying with the U.S is the right the decision in a very important choice for their history
Sources Cited:
https://thediplomat.com/2015/05/cambodia-between-china-and-the-united-states/
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-cambodian-invasion/
https://thediplomat.com/2019/12/cambodias-disastrous-dependence-on-china-a-history-lesson/
https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/01/12/biden-cambodia-laos-southeast-asia-strategy-geopolitics/
Cambodia: Hun Sen and His Abusive Generals | Human Rights Watch
How the US Benefits From Foreign Aid to Cambodia