When Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen extolled Japan's democracy as a model for his country to emulate during a visit to Tokyo earlier this month, the remark provoked a deep sense of irony, given the democratic crackdown that he had embarked on so openly before handily winning Cambodia's general election held in July.

Yet, seen from a wider perspective, his comment was another manifestation of an expected effort to strengthen and diversify Cambodia's key foreign alignments after his election win.