photo story[Photos] Cambodia: A war-torn country that became China’s firm ally in Southeast Asia
Historical photo collector Hsu Chung-mao shares the photographs he took during a trip to Vietnam-occupied Cambodia, giving us a glimpse of a country in turmoil while recovering from the terror of the Khmer Rouge.
(All photographs courtesy of Hsu Chung-mao.)
While most Southeast Asian countries have stressed they will not take sides between China and the US, Cambodia — a steadfast strategic ally of China in Southeast Asia — is the exception.
Due to geopolitical reasons, Cambodia almost always sides with China on major international issues, and there are even rumours that Cambodia will allow China to establish a naval base there. What kind of relationship does Cambodia have with China?
In 1986, I travelled to Cambodia, which was then under Vietnamese occupation, to conduct interviews, take photographs and collect pictures. Now, I can offer a recollection of my experience.
Entering Vietnam-occupied Cambodia
In late 1986, after applying for a visa at the Vietnamese embassy in Manila, I flew to Ho Chi Minh City with a group of tourists who were transiting from the US. Among them were Vietnamese who had fled their country ten years earlier and settled in the US, along with a few retired American veterans. The former were visiting family, while the latter were revisiting the battlefield they had once served in the Vietnam War — the war years that haunted their memories.
We travelled together for some part of our journey in Vietnam before going our separate ways. I decided to take a side trip to Cambodia as part of my reporting work.
At the time, Cambodia was under Vietnamese occupation, and apart from Vietnam itself, no other country recognised the Cambodian government that Vietnam had installed.
Due to the tense relationship between China and Vietnam, as a Taiwanese journalist, I had an easier time entering both Vietnam and Cambodia. I paid US$100 for a Cambodian visa in Ho Chi Minh City, inclusive of a car ride to Phnom Penh.
On the seven-hour journey, I was accompanied by an Australian scholar and a Cambodian diplomat who was hitching a ride to Phnom Penh. The weather was extremely hot, and the dirt road was lined with undeveloped, primitive forest and many lotus ponds, all imbued with the enchanting atmosphere of the Mekong River basin.
Most of the Chinese people there were from Chaozhou, and they could generally speak Mandarin. Some of them shared about the tragic situation when the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh, forcing everyone to the countryside.
Phnom Penh was a run-down and poor city. At the time, Vietnam had occupied Cambodia, and the Khmer Rouge had retreated to the Thai-Cambodian border to wage guerrilla warfare, so it was still a temporary situation. However, Phnom Penh was very peaceful; the streets were relatively safe with no signs of wartime tension.
Most of the Chinese people there were from Chaozhou, and they could generally speak Mandarin. Some of them shared about the tragic situation when the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh, forcing everyone to the countryside. Many Chinese blamed King Norodom Sihanouk for the situation. Furthermore, due to international sanctions, there were very few foreign merchants and tourists in Cambodia, though I was surprised to see that Singapore’s hotel industry was already first to the punch.
From Japanese occupation to the rise of Khmer Rouge
Geographically, Cambodia lies between Thailand and Vietnam, but culturally it has been most deeply influenced by India. Ancient Chinese historical texts referred to Cambodia as the Kingdom of Chenla. In the first half of the 12th century, the Khmer King Suryavarman II built Angkor Wat as a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Vishnu, and was to be designated as the king’s state temple and eventual mausoleum. This magnificent and grand temple is listed as one of the wonders of the world.
In modern history, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam were French colonies and later occupied by Japan during the Second World War. After the war, countries in Southeast Asia began to pursue independence, and the entrance of the Soviet Union, China and the US created a complex international political situation.
King Sihanouk of Cambodia tried to maintain a balance among the various powers, as well as good relations with Communist China and North Korea. In 1970, with US support, General Lon Nol staged a coup to overthrow Sihanouk and establish a republican government. During this period, China, the Soviet Union, the US, North Vietnamese forces, South Vietnamese forces, the Khmer Rouge and Lon Nol’s troops all clashed, leading to years of war, economic collapse and societal decay.
In 1975, after the US military withdrew from Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge army entered Phnom Penh. Initially, they were welcomed by the citizens, as the army was seen as ending the war and bringing peace. However, what followed was nearly four years of terrifying rule under extreme leftist policies. The Hollywood film The Killing Fields vividly portrays this historical period.
The Khmer Rouge also used terror to purge their own cadres, prompting Khmer Rouge official Hun Sen to seek refuge in Vietnam. In 1978, with the support of Vietnamese forces, he returned to Cambodia and became a key figure in Cambodian politics — his influence continues to this day.
At the time, China sheltered the exiled Sihanouk while also supporting the Khmer Rouge in its fight against Vietnam.
Catching the economic boom
Vietnamese soldiers were still a common sight when I was in Phnom Penh in 1986. Meanwhile, the Hun Sen government displayed the shocking and heart-wrenching relics of Khmer Rouge atrocities all around.
At the time, China sheltered the exiled Sihanouk while also supporting the Khmer Rouge in its fight against Vietnam. Chinese state-run news agencies and defence magazines published extensive photo essays detailing China’s arming and training of Khmer Rouge forces, clearly backing their military actions against Vietnam. This put China in direct opposition to the Hun Sen government.
However, after the withdrawal of Vietnamese troops from Cambodia and the end of the Cold War, there was a fundamental change in the international situation. The Malayan Communist Party laid down its weapons, and Cambodia held elections under international supervision. Sihanouk regained his position as king, and the Hun Sen government gradually gained acceptance from the international community.
Foreign capital began to flow into Cambodia, leading to economic development and improved living standards. After decades of war, Cambodia was finally back on track.
... at this point, geopolitical tensions between Cambodia and Vietnam resurfaced. The once-hostile Hun Sen government became China’s staunch ally, and large amounts of Chinese economic aid poured into Cambodia...
However, at this point, geopolitical tensions between Cambodia and Vietnam resurfaced. The once-hostile Hun Sen government became China’s staunch ally, and large amounts of Chinese economic aid poured into Cambodia, becoming the most important driving force behind its development and allowing Cambodia to catch the last train of Southeast Asia’s economic boom.
Amid the balance of power, Cambodia today is able to grow steadily. The historical photos of Cambodia that I once took and collected have become valuable witnesses to history. Those casual snaps evoke a great deal of memories each time I look at them. The people of the country that has gone through so much hardship can finally live peaceful lives.
