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Hun Sen's diplomacy: Quick draw or firing blanks?
By visiting Myanmar, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has demonstrated some derring-do in trying to resolve the crisis in the country. That said, it could be argued that the trip has not moved the needle much.
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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen (left) with Myanmar military chief Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw, on Jan 8, 2022.
PHOTO: AFP
Sharon Seah
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Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar over the weekend was greeted with polite optimism at best but largely with cynicism and scepticism. On the ground, it was met with angry opposition, evidenced by bombs going off near the Cambodian Embassy in Naypyitaw and reports of flash mobs and protests against the visit in several Myanmar townships.
Prior to the visit, Mr Hun Sen was called out for undermining Asean with his "cowboy diplomacy", legitimising the military junta and sacrificing what little gains Asean has made in barring Myanmar's political representation at its annual summits last November.
