Sea Clashes Loom Over Southeast Asia Summit (by James Hookway, March 29, 2012):

One of our destinations, Cambodia, holds a key position in the diplomatic struggle over one of the world's busiest stretches of water: the potentially energy-rich South China Sea.

The country this year is hosting a series of regional summits, in which, China's claims to the waters could become a large issue. China’s disputes with countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines have raised security fears in the region. China tried but failed to stop the South China Sea issue from being discussed at the last summit, said participants in that meeting, in Indonesia last year.  It is not yet known whether the topic will be on the agenda this year.

The U.S. has further angered China by saying it wants to keep the South China Sea, which carries around half the world's total trade, free and open to navigation. 

So Cambodia has the option to stand by China and not let the issue come up about China’s claim to sovereignty over the water.  Up to this point, Cambodia, has never claimed the South China Sea, and still maintains a neutral stance toward the contest for control of its waters.  This stretch of water is a matter of importance to pretty much all of the Southeast Asian Nations.  Trade, fishing and potential resources will all be matters of importance if it does get brought up in the meetings.

Countries such as Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines, are reaching out to the U.S. to counter China on this issue. We must remember that China has huge influence upon its beneficiaries like Cambodia; it would be hard to oppose such an influence. I’m sure China is hoping they remember this too.

~Chet Matsuura

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