Allies and Adversaries: Indonesia Joins Japan, Cambodia Aligns with China
May 12, 2024

The lines in Southeast Asia are being drawn. Indonesia formally has joined Nippon's Pacific Defense Treaty Organization (PDTO), while Cambodia entered Shina's East Asian Defense Initiative (EADI).

Indonesia is led by Prabowo Subianto, a right-wing populist. He has a background in the Indonesian military, eventually becoming a four-star army general before entering politics. Prabowo's political party, Gerindra, has been identified as a right-wing party with populist tendencies.

The Kingdom of Cambodia, meanwhile, is led by Norodom Sihamoni, the current king of Cambodia. In 2004, Sihamoni was chosen as monarch by the Royal Council of the Throne. He has been described by some as a humble monarch because of his philanthropic endeavors and is well-known for carrying out humanitarian activities. He also mostly has respected the policy of not interfering with the politics of Cambodia. Cambodia's decision to side with Shina comes as a surprise to many, given that Sihamoni personally saw firsthand the horrors of the Khmer Rouge.

These two nations have broken from neutrality and aligned with different alliances. In this initial tradeoff, some analysts consider Nippon to have "won" the engagement given Indonesia's economic might compared to Cambodia. But if Shina can align Laos as well to join her alliance, she will have a significant strategic position within Southeast Asia.

The Cold War is warming, and tensions have never been so fraught.