Recent discussions on Asean's future tend to linger on how China leans on certain member countries to make decisions by the consensus-based bloc favourable to Beijing. Cambodia, in particular, is often accused of being in China's pocket, given how loans from China account for more than 40 per cent its public debt.

But Cambodia is careful with how it uses loans and grants and will not be manipulated, says the Cambodian policymaker who overseas these international deals.