To Avoid Overdependence on China, Cambodia Needs to Build Its Relations With India

By Bunna Vann and Kimkong Heng

Cambodia has to bring in the Indian card to balance China's economic and geopolitical influence in Cambodia as well as in Southeast Asia. 

As its economy is severely affected by the dual impact of COVID-19 and the EU’s withdrawal of Everything But Arms trade privileges, Cambodia should look to India for support.

With 1.3 billion people, India is the world’s second most populous country, and is expected to surpass China to become the world’s largest population​ by 2027. India is obviously a huge potential market for the world. It is now the world’s third largest economy in purchasing parity terms and the world’s fifth largest economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $2.87 trillion in 2019. By 2027, India is predicted to become the third-largest economy in the world in terms of nominal GDP.

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Youth's role in advaning Cambodia's digital diplomacy

In the context of industry 4.0, young Cambodians are well placed to enhance their country's image globally.

By BUNNA VANN And KIMKONG HENG

As the world enters the Fourth Industry Revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, the adoption and use of modern diplomacy, particularly digital diplomacy, seem viable and promising for Cambodia. But how can youth, considered as the future of the Cambodian nation, encourage the government to advance its digital diplomacy? Read more...

តើ​នយោបាយ​នៅតែ​ជា​រឿង​បោកប្រាស់​ក្នុង​ទស្សនៈ​ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​ឬ​?

ដោយ វណ្ណ ប៊ុន​ណា

លិខិត​មិត្ត​អ្នកអាន​៖ «​នយោបាយ គឺជា​ន​យោ​បោក និង​ជាការ​បោកប្រាស់​របស់​អ្នកនយោបាយ​។ កុំ​ចង់​ប្រឡូក​ជាមួយ​នយោបាយ បើ​មិន​អស់​ជីវិត ក៏​ជាប់គុក រត់ចោលស្រុក ឬក៏​វិនាស​ទ្រព្យសម្បត្តិ​ដែរ​។ កុំទៅ​ខ្វាយខ្វល់​ជាមួយនឹង​នយោបាយ រឿង​នយោបាយ​ទុកឱ្យ​អ្នកនយោបាយ​ជា​អ្នកដោះស្រាយ យើង​គិតតែ​ពី​រឿង​រកស៊ី​ទៅបាន​ហើយ​»​។

ទាំងអស់នេះ​គឺជា​អ្វីដែល​ខ្ញុំ​តែងតែ​ឮ​ស្ទើរ​រៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃ​ក្នុងសង្គម​ខ្មែរ នៅពេល​និយាយ​ដល់​ពាក្យនយោបាយ ឬ រឿង​ទាំងឡាយណា​ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​នយោបាយ​។ តើ​នយោបាយ នៅតែ​ជា​រឿង​អវិជ្ជមាន​ដែល​គួរឱ្យ​ខ្លាចរអា ឬក៏​ជាការ​បោកប្រាស់​ដូច​ការយល់ឃើញ​ខាងលើ​ឬទេ​? Read more...

The vital role of youth in promoting Cambodia’s culture and image abroad

Bunna Vann & Heng Kimkong

With ever-closer Chinese ties, human rights abuses and shrinking democratic space clouding Cambodia's reputation internationally, it is youth who could play a vital role as cultural diplomats in promoting the Kingdom's rich history and society abroad. Read more...

Studying Abroad in the Time of COVID-19: Adaptability and Patience

Vann Bunna is pursuing a master’s degree in Political Science at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, India. (Photo supplied)

ThmeyThmey’s Sao Phal Niseiy spoke with Vann Bunna who is pursuing a master’s degree in Political Science at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, India. Having been awarded with the Youth Role Model and Academic Excellence awards, Bunna graduated from the University of Cambodia with a degree in International Relations in 2018

Sao Phal Niseiy: You are pursuing a master’s degree in Political Science at a Public University in India under the Indian Government’s Scholarship Program, but why did you choose India for a political science course?

Vann Bunna: India is the land of ancient wisdom. To date, India has a highly qualified and internationally recognized education system. Through my personal experience working and interacting with Cambodians receiving education from India at both academic and governmental levels, I have observed they are really knowledgeable and competent in the field of their studies and expertise, especially political affairs. 

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