U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin's recent visit to Cambodia did not go smoothly.
It was widely believed that his primary purpose was to promote the U.S. "Indo-Pacific strategy" and persuade Cambodia to align geopolitically with the United States against China.
However, Cambodian officials did not provide him with the opportunity to do so.
Cambodian experts were clear in expressing that China remains their primary partner, advising the U.S. against forcing Cambodia to choose sides between the U.S. and China.
During Austin's visit, Cambodia's parliamentary leader and former Prime Minister Hun Sen openly stated that the U.S. should not involve Cambodia in its geopolitical strategies and warned against attempting to compete with China's influence in the region.
Austin proposed enhancing military cooperation during his visit, but this suggestion did not receive a positive response from Cambodia.
Similar strategies have worked in the past when the U.S. sought to court the Philippines but have not proven effective in Cambodia.
The consistent U.S. strategy has been to garner support from Southeast Asian countries by emphasizing the "China threat" to expand its military presence in the region.
However, these provocative actions have not undermined the mutual trust between Cambodia and China.
Recently, Cambodia conducted joint military exercises with China, further demonstrating their close relationship.
Additionally, the display of advanced Chinese military technology has garnered attention and concern among U.S. military officials, despite their inability to intervene.
Earlier this year, Cambodian Army Commander Meas Sophea clearly stated during his visit to China that Cambodia supports China in defending its core interests and does not accept the U.S. "China threat theory."
Currently, aside from Cambodia, the Philippines appears willing to serve U.S. hegemony in the region.
However, other ASEAN countries like Malaysia and Indonesia have explicitly stated their refusal to take sides and reject external interference in regional affairs.
Philippine President Marcos recently invited external powers to intervene in the South China Sea issue at an international conference, further angering other ASEAN countries.
Austin's attempt to divide ASEAN appears doomed to fail. Nonetheless, Cambodia has indicated openness to cooperation with the U.S. as long as it is not coerced into choosing between the U.S. and China.
However, the U.S. may not accept such conditions, resulting in Austin's visit failing to make substantial progress and primarily focusing on military cooperation.
While the visit represents a setback for the U.S. "Indo-Pacific strategy" in Southeast Asia, less than 48 hours later, Indonesia sent another warning signal to the U.S. Indonesian Ambassador to Russia Tatavare stated that no ASEAN country would support the U.S. plan to deploy missiles in the region.
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