The smiling face of Cambodia's new king Norodom Sihamoni appeared in every newspaper this weekend for his 52nd birthday, six months into a reign seen as a success although experts said he still needs time to stand on his own.
Norodom Sihamoni's accession was carefully orchestrated by his father, former king Norodom Sihanouk, who abdicated in October.
In his first six months, Sihamoni has made himself accepted and loved by Cambodia's 13 million people, experts said.
However people in Cambodia, where the monarchy traditionally takes on a quasi-religious hue, are still getting to know the successor to Sihanouk, who is considered the father of the nation who first took the throne in 1941 and became a revered figure inextricably tied to Cambodia's chaotic fortunes over the decades.
The son of Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Monineath was a dancer, choreographer, and ambassador to UNESCO in Paris. He had not lived in Cambodia in nearly 30 years, and was almost unknown here.
Since taking the throne, the new king has used his smile and gentle charm to win over Cambodians, making frequent journeys to the countryside. In addition to his formal trips, he has also made unannounced visits to rural areas, where he showed real concern for the problems of ordinary people.
"He did everything that he should. He visited almost all the provinces, he's reached out to rural folk, and people like him a lot," said Julio Jeldres, Sihanouk's official biographer.
The new king is "warm, close to the people," he told reporters, saying that he sometimes "kneels before people to put himself at their level."
"The Cambodian people kiss his hands, crowds come to see him and show him their support," said Lao Mong Hay of the Center for Social Development. "He is in the process of patching the national fabric, which has been torn greatly."
Sihamoni, who does not govern under Cambodia's constitution, has also managed to stay above the political fray.
"He succeeded in doing what his father wanted, making a smooth transition," one western diplomat said, even if royal protocols weigh on him and if palace life often means solitude for the unmarried king.
Prince Norodom Sirivudh, the former king's half-brother, also gave good marks to the new monarch.
"He is sensibly and ably learning his job as king," he told reporters. "He's more charismatic every day."
But his father still casts a long shadow over the throne. Sihanouk has an immense affection for his son and his country, and he remains so visible that many -- including opposition leader Sam Rainsy -- still call him "the king."
His portrait remains in some ministries as if he were still on the throne.
"Sihanouk is very present," a source close to the palace said. "He advises the king on everything. He never left the scene."
The 82-year-old former king recently announced that his cancer has worsened, forcing him to stay in Beijing for treatment.
His health, which he has in the past used for political gain, now truly worries the people closest to him -- including the current king, who is said to be shaken by his father's illness.
"If the king-father disappeared, it could destabilize Sihamoni's standing," another source close to the palace said. "Sihanouk is his son's closest adviser.
"If Sihanouk disappeared, Sihamoni would have problems, because for now he relies on his father, he passes everything by his father," the source said.
Many believe that the new king's inexperience leaves him in need of his father for some time to come.
"If Sihanouk is still around in two years, I believe that Sihamoni will be saved," one analyst said. "The king-father has a lot of experience and his son certainly needs that in important matters."
If Sihanouk were to die, the royals -- especially Queen Monineath -- would close ranks around the king, people close to the palace said.
"But the king-father's premature death would be a tough blow, and would be worrisome. Sihamoni doesn't have his stature yet," one observer said on condition of anonymity.
"Facing the king is a political genius named Hun Sen," the observer said, referring to the prime minister, who has always had an antagonistic relationship to Sihanouk. "He's a man who always stays afloat."
But Hun Sen "can't do just anything with the royal family. In Cambodia, royalty is of a higher order," he said.
It’s not every month that the US Department of State sends two deputy assistant secretary-level officials to Taiwan, together. Its rarer still that such senior State Department policy officers, once on the ground in Taipei, make a point of huddling with fellow diplomats from “like-minded” NATO, ANZUS and Japanese governments to coordinate their multilateral Taiwan policies. The State Department issued a press release on June 22 admitting that the two American “representatives” had “hosted consultations in Taipei” with their counterparts from the “Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” The consultations were blandly dubbed the “US-Taiwan Working Group on International Organizations.” The State
The Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercises, the largest naval exercise in the region, are aimed at deepening international collaboration and interaction while strengthening tactical capabilities and flexibility in tackling maritime crises. China was invited to participate in RIMPAC in 2014 and 2016, but it was excluded this year. The underlying reason is that Beijing’s ambitions of regional expansion and challenging the international order have raised global concern. The world has made clear its suspicions of China, and its exclusion from RIMPAC this year will bring about a sea change in years to come. The purpose of excluding China is primarily
The Chinese Supreme People’s Court and other government agencies released new legal guidelines criminalizing “Taiwan independence diehard separatists.” While mostly symbolic — the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has never had jurisdiction over Taiwan — Tamkang University Graduate Institute of China Studies associate professor Chang Wu-ueh (張五岳), an expert on cross-strait relations, said: “They aim to explain domestically how they are countering ‘Taiwan independence,’ they aim to declare internationally their claimed jurisdiction over Taiwan and they aim to deter Taiwanese.” Analysts do not know for sure why Beijing is propagating these guidelines now. Under Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), deciphering the
Delegation-level visits between the two countries have become an integral part of transformed relations between India and the US. Therefore, the visit by a bipartisan group of seven US lawmakers, led by US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul to India from June 16 to Thursday last week would have largely gone unnoticed in India and abroad. However, the US delegation’s four-day visit to India assumed huge importance this time, because of the meeting between the US lawmakers and the Dalai Lama. This in turn brings us to the focal question: How and to what extent