(Dili): Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Cambodian Senate, cautioned ASEAN to avoid tilting toward any major power, warning that growing superpower rivalries could compromise the bloc’s neutrality and influence multilateral institutions to serve external strategic agendas.
Samdech Techo spoke in his keynote address on Cambodia–Timor-Leste relations at the National Parliament of Timor-Leste on Thursday (May 8).
Samdech Techo underlined that ASEAN’s future role in shaping global governance and working with modern institutions to elevate the region's standing is a strategic choice that cannot be ignored.
He stated: “When ASEAN joins any multilateral mechanism not led by ASEAN itself, it must be cautious not to align with any major power. The rivalry between global powers can cause multilateral institutions to either rise or fall according to their political influence or leadership.”
In this context, Samdech Techo expressed confidence that ASEAN should place greater emphasis on advancing regional architecture led by ASEAN, which is characterized by neutrality and allows for inclusive cooperation with a variety of partners and regions without ideological bias. He added that the enduring strength of ASEAN lies in its institutional mechanisms, which remain stable and consistent even when leadership within member states changes.
“In this regard,” Samdech Techo stated, “I want to highlight the crucial role of the ASEAN Secretariat in ensuring the continuity and sustainability of ASEAN's mechanisms, cooperation, coordination, documentation, institutional processes, and in encouraging forward-thinking research on ASEAN’s future.”
On the occasion, Samdech Techo Hun Sen affirmed that ASEAN, as a regional pole in the world, plays an important role in promoting peace. While the power competition among major countries may lie beyond ASEAN’s control, ASEAN can manage its own regional affairs, resist external interference, and prevent conflicts initiated by major powers within the region.
Samdech Techo continued by noting that ASEAN can also project its influence beyond the region to support global peace efforts. However, he stressed that ASEAN cannot truly become a global pole unless its leaders foster closer ties, mutual understanding, a strong community spirit, and family-like relations—beyond mere formal cooperation.
=FRESH NEWS
