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2 months ago | 
thediplomat.com | Chhay Lin Lim |Genevieve Donnellon-May
More than a decade since the announcement of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the ambitious project faces mounting scrutiny, despite its outward appearance of driving rapid development growth. The so-called BRI 2.0 vision, which promises to be “smaller, greener, and smarter,” is Beijing’s response to widespread criticism of the earlier phase of the BRI. Cambodia, a key BRI recipient, offers a revealing case study of China’s evolving strategy.
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2 months ago | 
tribunecontentagency.com | Chhay Lin Lim |Genevieve Donnellon-May
More than a decade since the announcement of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the ambitious project faces mounting scrutiny, despite its outward appearance of driving rapid development growth. The so-called BRI 2.0 vision, which promises to be “smaller, greener, and smarter,” is Beijing’s response to widespread criticism of the earlier phase of the BRI. Cambodia, a key BRI recipient, offers a revealing case study of China’s evolving strategy.
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Oct 31, 2024 | 
lowyinstitute.org | Chhay Lin Lim
China has become Cambodia’s most influential partner in the past decade, driving development through massive investment, trade, and aid. Beijing’s landmark Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has dramatically reshaped Cambodia’s economic landscape. Yet, while Beijing's elite-driven strategy has solidified ties with Cambodia’s leadership, has it resonated with ordinary Cambodians?
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Oct 15, 2024 | 
lowyinstitute.org | Chhay Lin Lim
At first glance, Cambodia and Australia might not seem like major players in each other’s diplomatic orbits. But watch this space. Over the past decades, Canberra has been a key partner in Cambodia’s development, collaborating closely on economic and governance initiatives. To further strengthen ties, Phnom Penh could upgrade its relationship with Australia to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships (CSP) — the highest diplomatic tier in Phnom Penh’s foreign relations.
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Sep 2, 2024 | 
asiatimes.com | Chhay Lin Lim
The perception that Cambodia is pro-China has gained traction in recent years. With Cambodia’s increasing economic, security and political reliance on China, it is easy to label the country as a Chinese satellite state. The data is indeed compelling: Chinese grants to Cambodia surged from US$92.45 million in 2007 to approximately $4.6 billion by 2021. Between 2013 and 2022, China’s cumulative investment in Cambodia reached $12.02 billion.
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Apr 23, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Ashley J Tellis |Jenny D Balboa |Chhay Lin Lim
Philippine politics combines drama, comedy and tragedy. The political marriage between two powerful clans in the northern and southern Philippines resulted in the 2022 election of a former dictator’s son, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, and a former president’s daughter, Sara Duterte, as president and vice president respectively. Yet this dynasty cartel or mega-dynasty is headed towards a split.
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Apr 16, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Gilang Kembara |Debby Chan |Chhay Lin Lim |Yuhan Zhang
As the dust settles over the 2024 Indonesian general election, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka have claimed victory as the next president and vice president. The former three-star general and the son of the incumbent president have promised to continue President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s ambitious economic development and legacy infrastructure projects, including moving the administrative capital from Jakarta to Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN) in East Kalimantan.
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Apr 16, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Jenny D Balboa |Chhay Lin Lim |Yasuo Takao |Cindy X. Zheng
The conflict between the Marcos and Duterte families in the Philippines has taken on a dark twist. At a rally in Davao City on 28 January 2024, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte called President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr a . Duterte’s son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte, while asking for Bongbong to resign called the president lazy and lacking in compassion.
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Apr 11, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Chhay Lin Lim |Shahar Hameiri |Mutiara Indriani |Andree Surianta
The legendary soccer player Lionel Messi has fallen from grace in China after not playing in a friendly match between US team Inter Miami and Hong Kong on 4 February 2024. Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino claimed that Messi’s absence was due to a hamstring injury. But Messi neither explained his no-show nor interacted with fans in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government and politicians immediately weighed in and demanded answers from the event organiser, Tatler Asia.
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Apr 11, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Chhay Lin Lim |Ayaka Hiraki |Yasuo Takao |Shahar Hameiri
The relationship between Male and New Delhi has experienced a downturn since Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu won the 2023 election. In January 2024, the Maldives and China signed a series of bilateral agreements on infrastructure, energy, maritime and agriculture cooperation during Muizzu’s visit to Beijing. The relationship was further deepened in March 2024 as the Maldives and China entered into two defence agreements, with China committing to providing military assistance.
