In brief
The one‑day forum launched in Phnom Penh hosted keynote speeches, two panel discussions and focused on ASEAN unity, multilateralism and China's role. Cambodian minister Sok Siphana urged countries to uphold the United Nations Charter and resist economic fragmentation, while students reported a broadened perspective on global cooperation.
In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, an international conference on the New World Order opened Friday, drawing scholars, policymakers and industry leaders to debate geopolitics, technology, trade, and the role of ASEAN in a rapidly shifting world.
The forum was co‑organised by the Cambodia University of Technology and Science (CamTech University), Sun Yat‑sen University and the China‑ASEAN Studies Centre, creating a mixed roster of academic and corporate participants.
In his keynote address, Cambodian senior minister Sok Siphana, who heads the Ministry of Special Missions for Multilateral Trade and Economic Affairs, said the conference offered a strategic platform to exchange insights and navigate emerging challenges. He urged nations to firmly uphold the United Nations Charter as the bedrock of international society while actively resisting the fragmentation of the global economy. He warned that indiscriminate decoupling would impoverish developing nations and cement adversarial political blocs. He added that for ASEAN to stay relevant, member states must strengthen the bloc’s unity so it remains a neutral, inclusive platform where competing global powers can engage without forcing Southeast Asia into a single patron‑state alignment.
Conference Sessions
The panel discussions were split into two sessions. The first examined strategic dynamics for ASEAN and the wider international community, with panelists debating how regional cooperation can support global stability. The second addressed the dynamics of multipolarity, multilateralism, and the agency of small states, exploring how smaller nations can assert influence in a world populated by super‑powers.
Throughout the discussions, speakers repeatedly highlighted China’s role in maintaining global security, stability, and development, while actively promoting multilateralism and inclusive global governance. Panelists suggested that to protect their own interests, ASEAN countries should be careful not to become the sole heir to any external patron.
For many attendees, the forum provided direct academic and personal insights. First‑year student Him Gek Houn of CamTech University told Xinhua that she had been eager to experience a global forum firsthand and to understand how nations can collectively improve the global landscape. She said, in a quote that echoed the event’s emphasis on shared humanity, "I learned that to truly come together and improve our world, we need to understand our neighbors' perspectives and cultures. While we have different backgrounds, we still share the same planet. Therefore, we should come together on the basis of equality."
Returning home, Houn remarked that the objective of fostering mutual understanding and unity seemed realistic, especially when guided by the principle that Singapore’s independence and market development could serve as template for ASEAN’s future.
Overall, the Phnom Penh forum underscored an urgent need for ASEAN unity, multilateral cooperation, and a balanced approach to engaging major powers. As the participants left the Hall with a renewed appreciation for collaborative governance, many expressed hope that the dialogue would translate into actionable policies in the months ahead.
