CAMBODIA BACKED CHINA: And may pay a political price for its sell-out. I posted on this a few days ago.

Cambodia ignored its neighbors and used its support for China to water down a traditional statement in regards to the South China Sea dispute. The communique failed to mention China’s July 12 defeat in The Hague where an international tribunal ruled “there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea falling within the nine-dash line.” China refused to recognize the jurisdiction of the court – a move backed by Cambodia – or the legal action initiated by the Philippines.

Thanks to Cambodia, China won a tactical political victory at the ASEAN meeting. Beijing didn’t want the arbitration decision mentioned– nope, can’t state that fact. China’s bought Cambodia’s vote. As the article notes, over the last two decades China has given Cambodia $15 billion in aid and soft loans.