Online round table “65 years of the Russia — Cambodia Diplomatic Relations”

April 10, 2021

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Topic: Russia's Foreign Policy, Society and culture, Economy

Region: Russia, Southeast Asia

Type: News

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On April 9, 2021, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held an online round table dedicated to the 65^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General, welcomed the participants and expressed hope that the event would facilitate long-term cooperation between the two academic communities. The opening session was marked by the speeches of H.E. Anatoly Borovik, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Cambodia, and his Cambodian counterpart — H.E. Seyla Eat, who provided a deep insight into the current state of bilateral relations as well as reflected upon the common history of the two countries.

A comprehensive main session followed, gathering distinguished experts of the field. Dmitry Mosyakov, Head of the Center for the Study of Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania, RAS Institute of Oriental Studies; Vannarith Chheang, President of the Asian Vision Institute; Ekaterina Koldunova, Acting Director of the ASEAN Centre and Assistant Professor of the Department of Asian and African Studies, MGIMO University; Phea Kin, Director General of the International Relations Institute, Royal Academy of Cambodia; Evgeny Kanaev, Head of the Asia Pacific Department at the Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, Higher School of Economics; Elena Burova, Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Vietnam and ASEAN, RAS Institute of Far Eastern Studies; Samnang Tean, Director of the National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations; Ivan Timofeev, Director of Programs of RIAC, and Borei Phan, Language Assistant at the Russian Center of Science and Culture in the Kingdom of Cambodia, spoke at the round table. Ksenia Kuzmina, RIAC Program Manager, moderated the discussion.

The participants shared their views on various promising spheres of bilateral cooperation, such as trade, cultural and educational exchanges, tourism, energy, and agriculture, highlighting both positive aspects and structural weaknesses impeding the progress. They also paid particular attention to the opportunities of collaboration between Russia and ASEAN as well as Cambodia and EAEU, gaining its momentum amidst Cambodia taking over coordination of the Russia – ASEAN Dialogue in 2021.

Summary of the Discussion

Andrey Kortunov, Director General, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC)

Russia and the Kingdom of Cambodia have a long history of diplomatic relations, but what has not changed over the years is the affinity between the two peoples, which has already survived various bumps and difficulties and should now be preserved and developed further.
It would be premature to say that Moscow and Phnom Penh have both entered a post-COVID era. It is hard to predict how the epidemiological situation, as well as the vaccination process will develop, but it is clear that the world will not be the same anymore since a new balance of power is emerging in Asia and at the global level.
The potential of bilateral relations is not depleted: bilateral travel can be upgraded; there is room for collaboration in the context of regional and transregional trends and attempts to improve connections between ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Tangible academic engagement could be of vital contribution to the relations.

Anatoly Borovik, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Cambodia

Since 1956, the two nations have cherished relations based on friendship and trust, and their willingness to cooperate with each other is unlikely to change. Cambodia is a reliable and strategically important partner for Russia in the Asia Pacific.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit many sectors of the Cambodian economy, but the Russian side welcomes Cambodian measures to contain the virus, lower the number of contamination cases, and is pleased with the intensity of the political dialogue on the matter. Bilateral trade has lost 20% due to the pandemic, and this factor should be taken into account.
Bilateral cooperation on the highest and high levels is well-established. Dmitry Medvedev was the first Russian head of government to visit Cambodia in 2015. In 2016, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Moscow and then Sochi, where he took part in the Russia – ASEAN Dialogue. The cooperation between Moscow and Phnom Penh also has interparliamentary and interparty dimensions. The United Russia and the Cambodian People’s Party signed an Agreement on Interaction and Cooperation in 2015. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of Cambodia have also been collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Cambodia.
Russia has been traditionally interested in expanding trade and promoting mutual investment with Cambodia. Not only large companies but also medium and smaller enterprises should be encouraged to enter the respective markets. Agriculture, technologies, and science are the spheres of mutual interest as well.
The parties enjoy solidarity of approaches to such global issues as information security, countering the COVID-19 pandemic, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Collaboration between Moscow and Phnom Penh has also been developing steadily in the formats of ASEAN Regional Forum, ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus, East Asia Summit, Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. These ties may gain additional momentum as Cambodia is taking up coordination of the Russia – ASEAN relations in 2021.
Russia supports interactions between ASEAN and the EAEU. The SCO remains a promising venue for expanding the bilateral agenda as well. Potential spheres for further discussion are cybersecurity, smart cities development, energy, including nuclear energy, agriculture, etc.
Russia is satisfied with the development of cultural and educational cooperation between the parties. The number of joint events, cultural exchanges, and direct contacts has increased significantly. The Russian Center of Science and Culture plays an important role in this process.

Seyla Eat, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the Russian Federation

Russia and the Kingdom of Cambodia share a long history of diplomatic relations. Cambodia will never forget Russian assistance in difficult times when the country was struggling to survive and bring the nation together after the devastating civil war. Nor could Moscow’s key role in the UN peace process be forgotten. Now Cambodia is a major peacekeeping exporter under the UN umbrella itself.
Recently Russia has reaffirmed its commitment to and interest in improving and deepening the bilateral ties. Cooperation between the parties has been quite successful in such spheres as tourism, informational technologies, education, and military area. After the pandemic, it is important to boost economic cooperation and bring more Russian companies to Cambodian markets.
Cambodia is grateful for Russia’s support of the negotiations on establishing the free trade area with the EAEU and hopes that the Working Group will be able to facilitate this process. It is of vital importance to create new platforms for political, cultural, and social engagement.
As a new coordinator of Russia – ASEAN dialogue Cambodia is looking forward to working with other ASEAN countries to find new venues for promoting bilateral relations.
Both Russia and the Kingdom of Cambodia are aiming at building sustainable peace in the Asia Pacific.

Dmitry Mosyakov, Head, Center for the Study of Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania, RAS Institute of Oriental Studies

1960 opened the first period of the rapprochement between the Soviet Union and Cambodia, following the visit of Norodom Sihanouk to Moscow when the first bilateral agreement was signed. After that Soviet students started to discover Cambodia, study its language, culture. The main outcome of that period was the creation of an atmosphere of trust between the two peoples.
In the 1970s, after the coup d’état in Cambodia, the relations got strained. It was the first time that the Soviet government did not support Sihanouk, who sought exile in Moscow, and the consequences of that mistake were to spot for a long time.
Then, after the liberation of Phnom Penh in 1979, the Soviet Union became the main supporter of the Cambodian population facing starvation at the time. It helped a lot to turn Cambodia into a truly sovereign state and had a huge impact on the UN peace process. However, the dissolution of the Soviet Union significantly impeded bilateral cooperation afterward.
Now the countries are gradually developing bilateral ties and reviving the atmosphere of trust. Versatile experience is very useful for developing relations on a new basis.

Vannarith Chheang, President, Asian Vision Institute

Economic relations are a priority for bilateral cooperation, so diplomacy should be used as a means serving economic purposes, and Cambodia hopes that Russia will expand this sphere.
Cambodian foreign policy has been consistent in promoting a rule-based multilateral international system, striving to make it more inclusive, just, and fair. In the Asia Pacific, Russia also plays an important role in establishing and maintaining the balance of power.
Russia – ASEAN relations are an example of a partnership based on mutual respect. Cambodia was very active in bringing Russia into the regional equation and now, when a strategic partnership roadmap is under discussion, there is hope for a better strategic equilibrium in the region.
Emerging sectors of cooperation, fitting into the ASEAN agenda of multilateral diplomacy, could be environmental protection, fighting the consequences of climate change, energy cooperation.
Cambodia is interested in joining EAEU as an emerging center on the Eurasian continent. Phnom Penh could play a role in connecting ASEAN and EAEU, and developing the ASEAN+5 format, assisting economic connectivity in the region.
People-to-people ties are also important to achieve all the goals mentioned and there is a big room to enhance them both bilaterally and regionally.

Ekaterina Koldunova, Acting Director, ASEAN Centre, Associate Professor, Department of Asian and African Studies, MGIMO University

Although Russia and Cambodia have obvious differences, they share similarities on the political level. Both countries have been through difficult periods in their history. Moscow and Phnom Penh have seen political fragmentation and are well aware of what it is to struggle for national independence, for the right to independently define the way of national development, to try to achieve political stability. They also know that there is no pre-given path or way to boost the economy and social cohesion. In this regard, Russia understands well enough what is going on in Cambodia, and hopefully, this understanding is mutual. Both countries are also aware of what external interference is, how dangerous it is when time and space are needed to recover from unpleasant legacies of the past.
These days it is becoming increasingly hard to separate the external from the internal and Russia and Cambodia need to find the solutions to maintain internal stability, but engage in addressing regional and global issues as well.
Climate change, global healthcare, and economic development require international cooperation, but we see multiple disruptive factors impeding it.
At the regional level, Russia is truly interested in keeping ASEAN central to regional cooperation, here “small states diplomacy” could work rather well under the auspices of regional organizations and institutions if they are strengthened. The more ties Russia has with regional states, the better its relations with ASEAN will be.
As for the second-track dialogue, it should also be considered how the existing experience of bilateral cooperation in the educational sphere could be built upon and people-to-people connections restored and developed.
Blue economy is a promising area of cooperation along with water management which are high on the ASEAN’s agenda. Here it could be of help to use the Russian-Vietnamese experience in the field as well as common ASEAN mechanisms.

Phea Kin, Director General, International Relations Institute, Royal Academy of Cambodia

Several periods can be identified in Russia – Cambodia relations impacted by both national and international factors: 1956–1970; 1970–1975; 1979–1991; 1991–1993; 1993–present. Still, the parties remain well-trusted partners and actively interact both bilaterally and globally, including in the UN system.
In 2015, there was a series of official visits, which gave a huge impetus to the relations. The trade has increased significantly over the years, although there is room for improvement. As for people-to-people cooperation, Cambodia is grateful for the opportunity for its students to study in Russia. More than 8,000 Cambodians are studying in the former Soviet countries, including Russia.
Today delivering the “Sputnik V” vaccine to Cambodia is actively discussed.
The two countries have similar views on the world order. They are connected by traditional relations of respect and interact more and more regionally. However, since the bilateral track record is not especially intense, boosting bilateral ties requires additional attention. Energy and culture are promising areas for interaction. Russia could also play a more important role in fighting COVID-19 in the Asia Pacific.

Ivan Timofeev, Director of Programs, Russian International Affairs Council

China – USA confrontation will increasingly affect regional policies in the Asia Pacific, but also in many other regions. There are two main spheres of their competition: technology and sanctions. And Asia is increasingly becoming the main region of that competition.
In global health, Russia has developed three vaccines. Disseminating them, especially “Sputnik V”, could be an important venue for cooperation in the region.
Another dimension for further engagement is education. Amidst the pandemic, the universities had to switch to distant learning. MGIMO University, for example, has successfully adapted to the new format. This provides an opportunity to expand online educational programs internationally, which could be beneficial for Cambodian students.
Due to COVID-19 trade has decreased for almost all partners. Unfortunately, the forecast for 2021 shows no positive dynamics. Hopefully, the stream of Russian tourists to Cambodia will restore after the pandemic, helping to balance the figures and improve economic indexes. Russia and Cambodia should also continue to develop cooperation in the military sphere as it has a long history and, thus, its potential to bounce back after the pandemic is high.

Samnang Tean, Director, National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations

The diplomatic relations between Russia and Cambodia are marked by the long history of friendliness. They even have a strategic dimension due to the Soviet assistance to the political development of Cambodia and building its infrastructure.
Bilateral military cooperation has also been developing since 2007; the Russian military ship was delivered to Cambodia and the Navy officials took part in exchanges with their Cambodian colleagues.
Today jointly fighting COVID-19 is an important collaboration area. Russia assisted Cambodia with medical equipment and supplies to support its fight against COVID-19.
Cooperation in Asia has its prospects, particularly in the form of ASEAN – EAEU link.
Agriculture, energy cooperation, and infrastructural development have a lot of potential for bilateral investment.
Another venue for cooperation is rebalancing in the Asia Pacific on the basis of reciprocity and trust.
In 2009, MGIMO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Cambodia, which is a great example of people-to-people exchange, contributing to mutual understanding.

Evgeny Kanaev, Head, Asia Pacific Department, Centre for Comprehensive European and International Studies, Higher School of Economics

It is important to highlight not only the positive sides, but also the drawbacks and weak points of relations. In particular, three things are missing in Russia – Cambodia bilateral ties: regionalization, people-to-people, and enterprise-to-enterprise relations. There is also no Russian diaspora in Cambodia. This means grassroots cooperation is conspicuously missing. In order to change the situation, Cambodia has to reorient its industrial policy, but it does not necessarily need it as such changes would have incredibly high transactional costs, making trade much costlier than with other regional partners.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which Cambodia expresses interest in, is currently burdened with territorial disputes. So, seeing it as a potential link between Russia and Cambodia is premature at best. The same concerns the EAEU which has no processing chains of its own and is thereby unable to extend them further.
There also exists a high degree of politicization of digital cooperation and cooperation in the health sphere. China is trying to add a social dimension to its digital policy, and if it decides to set up production in Cambodia, there is limited room for Russia to step in. We already see that whereas the Russian vaccine has not been distributed in Cambodia, two of the three vaccines approved by the government are of Chinese origin.
While outlining three main spheres – energy, agriculture, and tourism – for bilateral cooperation, we should keep in mind that they were all already discussed before the Vladivostok APEC summit in 2012, which creates an impression of a distinct lack of progress.

Borei Phan, Language Assistant, Russian Center of Science and Culture in the Kingdom of Cambodia

Russia and Cambodia have been collaborating in culture and education since the 20^th century when the Soviet Union assisted in the reconstruction of the country. Soviet specialists helped to rebuild certain industries, and Cambodian students had an opportunity to study in the Soviet Union. Today this cooperation continues. In 2019, the countries signed an Agreement on mutual recognition of educational qualifications and academic degrees.
Medicine, construction, nuclear physics, aviation engineering, and international relations are the most popular specializations for Cambodian students. Russian Center of Science and Culture in Cambodia actively promotes the Russian language and culture in the country. In particular, it has special language courses. The Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia considers training Russian-speaking guides to facilitate tourism from Russia.
Another important sphere is sports education. Cambodian students are interested in obtaining respectful quotas in Russian colleges and universities since in Cambodia there is no system of professional education for sports managers, teachers, and athletes.
Negotiations with Rosatom are now underway as to whether the company could assist in establishing partnerships with large technical universities of Russia so that Cambodia students could study there.

Elena Burova, Research Fellow, Center for the Study of Vietnam and ASEAN, RAS Institute of Far Eastern Studies

Russia’s share in Cambodian international trade is low, it accounts only for 0,1%. The Cambodian share in the Russian trade balance is 0,3%. Apart from this, the structure of bilateral trade doesn’t fully reflect the relative advantages of both countries. This can be illustrated through three examples.
First, although Cambodian rice export is growing, it is not destined for Russia, rather for China and Europe, because there are trade preferences and factor of neighboring countries (with China) plays its role.
Second, the same paradox applies to the wheat trade. Although wheat consumption in Cambodia tends to increase, Russia, the world’s biggest exporter of it, only has a share of 3% on the Cambodian market.
The third potential product to export to Cambodia from Russia is fertilizers because there is a growing demand for them against limited supply.
As for the tourist sector, although the numbers used to grow before the pandemic, there are still no direct flights between Cambodia and Russia.

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