Cambodia-New Zealand relations: A critical relationship for NZ's future in Asia

Cambodia and New Zealand: A significant relationship with little visibility

New Zealand’s relationship with Cambodia spans over 65 years. Ambassador Kings reflected on the significance of this relationship in a speech delivered at the Phnom Penh Cambodian National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations late last year. He noted: “As we celebrate 65 years of our partnership with Cambodia, we honour the strength and depth of our relationship. Our shared history, collaborative achievements, and mutual support, including our significant involvement post-Khmer Rouge, highlight our commitment to justice and progress.” Ambassador Dr. CHEUNBORAN Chanborey has also referred to New Zealand as “a long-standing friend and partner of Cambodia.”

Cambodia and New Zealand official relationship has existed for more than 65 years. Image: Supplied

In addition to a diplomatic relationship spanning over half a century, there has been a recent sharp increase in two-way trade (which nearly doubled between 2015 and 2020, with 2015 two-way trade of NZ$41.43 million), and a growing number of people-to-people links. However, according to the 2024 Asia New Zealand Foundation’s Perceptions of Asia report, Cambodia ranks at or near the bottom of Asian countries New Zealanders think are most important to work with, know best, or would like to learn about. The relationship has been described as “positive but limited”.

Extensive connections but missed opportunities for long-term relationships

Dr Farib Sos is a New Zealander who grew up in Cambodia and moved to New Zealand under the Colombo Plan Scholarship in May 1972. He is a former Honorary Advisor to the Foundation and an appointee of the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to International Relations.

Farib notes the extensive development assistance programmes such as ELTOs (training for English language), ASEAN Scholarships, Mekong Institute, Mekong River Commission, Volunteer Service Abroad, short-term training for Senior Public Officials and visits to New Zealand by senior politicians have led to meaningful connections. At the same time, Farib is of the view that New Zealand should invest a much greater level of time and resource to its ties with Cambodia.

Farib Sos, left, with Asia New Zealand Foundation CE Suzannah Jessep in 2023. Image: Asia New Zealand Foundation

Cambodians operating in a complex ‘glass box’ with different diplomatic opportunities than New Zealand

Late last year Asia New Zealand Foundation CEO Suzannah Jessep led a Track II (informal diplomacy) delegation to Cambodia, with Farib also in attendance, providing cultural insight and connections. The delegation aimed to better understand its current domestic and regional position and what the new era of a Trump embassy could mean “for this often overlooked and not well understood kingdom”, as Suzannah explained in a piece published on Newsroom.

Suzannah observed the challenges experienced by Cambodia’s senior public servants, business leaders and civil society. “They operate in a glass box – watched by the world but inherently vulnerable due to Cambodia’s least-developed status, complex neighbourhood relations and only recently achieved peace.” She reflected on the different ways in which New Zealand in its diplomatic approaches is able to agree and disagree more freely in relationships with major powers, while Cambodia has different pressures and a stark need to secure development support.

Long-term relationships and trust before business

Farib shares his ideas for changes to the way New Zealand engages with Cambodia: “Building a relationship through parachuting in from Bangkok or Wellington or from Canberra once or twice in a blue moon is not a great way to strengthen the bilateral relationship. If there are no boots on the ground one does not learn much about the domestic economic, political, and social development and issues of the countries. Yes, one can read what the media has put out but what is underneath the iceberg would be missed. If we are not at the dinner table, then we are not on the menu.” New Zealand should also avoid relying on close allies such as Australia and the U.S. “piggyback diplomacy”, Farib advises, because those countries already have their own interests to fulfil.

Image: Supplied

In terms of New Zealanders wanting to do business in Cambodia, spending time with counterparts to build genuine relationships is a culturally appropriate approach, as is the case with most ASEAN nations. Farib says: “New Zealand is inherently influenced by its colonial past and does not have great patience, but is rather focused on fast transactions and gaining agreement as soon as possible. Relationships and trust take time to build, and one can’t expect virtual and parachuting engagement would fix this.”

Considerations for the future of the bilateral relationship

Suzannah emphasises the ongoing importance of links between people of both nations in her Newsroom piece: “We might not always align with the Cambodian government, but we’ve got warm people-to-people ties built up over many decades from Kiwis doing good work in the region, which open doors for further cooperation and economic development”.

Farib would like to see New Zealand having a permanent representative on the ground in Phnom Penh, a sizeable city of 2.5 million, while the general population in Cambodia is 17 million. (By way of comparison, he points out that New Zealand has its mission in Dili, Timor-Leste where Dili has a population of just under 277, 500 and Timor-Leste around 1.5 million). Being on the ground in Cambodia is critical to learning about the connections, and backgrounds of the business and political elites of the country and the processes they have go through to get the buy-in and reach decision.

“Only then can you really understand the complexities of who links and connects to whom and who is the ultimate decision maker. Cambodia needs us as friends.”

For perspectives from both Ambassadors look out for Part II of this series on the Asia Media Centre.

Asia Media Centre