Small State Diplomacy: Cambodia In Maneuvering Sino-American Regional Competition In Southeast Asia

The significance of small states has been neglected in international politics.According to classical realists,the small states are powerless or weak and subject themselves to stronger powers.Their political approaches are oriented to alliance behavior,neutrality,or strategic bargaining with the great powers.Meanwhile,the growing importance and competition between the United States and China in Southeast Asia pose challenges to small Southeast Asian states.As a result,Cambodia,as a small state,must act accordingly amidst the Sino-American regional competition in Southeast Asia.Two factors have the greatest impact on shaping Cambodian foreign policy,such as societal and systemic,through national security and economic development.This research attempted to examine Cambodia’s importance as a small state in dealing with competition by emphasizing the essential elements of Cambodia’s foreign policy in three distinct areas: politics,economics,and security.Notwithstanding challenges,the findings indicated that collective security,strategic autonomy,and non-alignment methods are fundamental to Cambodia’s key strategies in dealing with Sino-American regional competition in Southeast Asia.Nevertheless,the competition could pressure Cambodia to choose sides in the future.Cambodia’s ability to navigate these challenges and maintain its strategic autonomy will be critical to its long-term success in maneuvering in the Sino-American competition in the Southeast Asia region.