Paris, 31 October 2025 — Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, participated as a featured speaker in the panel discussion entitled “Fault Lines and Frontlines: Asia’s Shifting Geopolitics,” held during the 8th Edition of the Paris Peace Forum in Paris, France.

The high-level session, co-organized by the Paris Peace Forum and Asia Society France, brought together senior parliamentarians, policymakers, and experts from leading think tanks from around the world for a moderated discussion on how political leaders are navigating regional fault lines amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. 

Addressing Cambodia’s engagement with major powers and ASEAN neighbors, Samdech Khuon Sudary said the Kingdom’s foreign policy remains guided by its Constitution, which mandates permanent neutrality and prohibits foreign military bases on Cambodian soil.

“Neutrality does not mean passivity. We actively and responsibly contribute to world peace and prosperity,” she said, noting that over 10,000 Cambodian peacekeepers, including 800 women, have served under United Nations missions worldwide.

She reiterated Cambodia’s principle of being a “friend to all, enemy to none,” emphasizing that its foreign policy is grounded in mutual respect, understanding, trust, and shared interests, with ASEAN as the cornerstone of its external relations.

“As a small country, we rely on diplomacy and international law to safeguard our core interests,” she stressed. “Promoting open and inclusive multilateralism and a rules-based international order is central to our objectives and values.”

When asked about her outlook for Asia over the next decade, Samdech Khuon Sudary expressed optimism grounded in peace, cooperation, and ASEAN unity.

“I firmly believe in peace, and the Cambodian people also believe in peace. Without peace, we cannot achieve our dreams and vision,” she said.

While acknowledging challenges such as geopolitical competition and economic fragmentation, she expressed confidence that Southeast Asia can emerge as a new economic center of the world through dialogue and resilience.

“ASEAN must remain a credible and effective honest broker, navigator, and anchor of regional peace and prosperity,” she underlined.

She concluded by calling for an inclusive, open, and rules-based ASEAN-driven regional architecture, adding,

“We must build and sustain an open and rules-based ASEAN for our collective future. I am optimistic that the 21st century will be the century of the Asia-Pacific.”