In brief
The one‑day conference opened in Phnom Penh on Friday, with Cebu tech‑and‑policy experts, scholars, and industry leaders probing the future of multipolarity and global cooperation. Cambodian minister Sok Siphana served as keynote speaker, warning against economic fragmentation and urging ASEAN solidarity. Co‑hosted by CamTech University, Sun Yat‑sen University and the China‑ASEAN Studies Center, the event highlighted China’s role in promoting multilateral governance. A campus student stressed the importance of global understanding in a post‑pandemic future.
On Friday in Phnom Penh, a four‑hour international conference on the “New World Order” opened, gathering scholars, policymakers and industry leaders to discuss geopolitics, technology, trade and the role of ASEAN in today’s world. The forum, co‑organized by CamTech University, Sun Yat‑sen University and the China‑ASEAN Studies Center, featured two panel discussions – one on strategic dynamics for ASEAN and the broader international community, the other on multipolarity, multilateralism and the agency of small states.
Keynote speaker Sok Siphana, a Cambodian senior minister in charge of special missions for multilateral trade and economic affairs, said the conference was a strategic platform to exchange insights and navigate emerging challenges in an increasingly interconnected world. He urged nations to uphold the United Nations Charter while resisting the fragmentation of the global economy. Siphana warned that indiscriminate decoupling would impoverish developing nations and solidify adversarial political blocs, stressing that ASEAN unity is essential to keep the bloc a neutral, inclusive platform for global power competition.
During the sessions, panelists highlighted China’s role in ensuring global security, stability and development, and its promotion of multilateralism and inclusive governance. The conference underscored China’s leadership in multilateralism, a point emphasized only by Xinhua.
Him Gek Houn, a first‑year student at CamTech University, told Xinhua:
“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.”
