What does this research mean for the field?

Cambodia's foreign policy between the United States and China constitutes 'constrained hedging,' wherein it maintains residual ties with the US for limited strategic flexibility despite heavy alignment and structural dependence on China. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.CONTRADICTORY. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.CHALLENGES_CONSENSUS.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate Cambodia's foreign policy amid intensifying United States-China competition and assess whether existing theories of bandwagoning or hedging explain small-state behavior under structural constraints.

September 8, 2026Open Access

Constrained Hedging under Great Power Competition: Cambodia's Strategic Behavior Between the United States and China

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Authors

NVNeak Vibol

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Implication

Qualitative analysis reveals constrained hedging patterns in Cambodia's foreign policy, suggesting small states maintain limited strategic flexibility despite high economic dependence on China.

Key Points

To evaluate Cambodia's foreign policy amid intensifying United States-China competition and assess whether existing theories of bandwagoning or hedging explain small-state behavior under structural constraints.
Conducted qualitative analysis examining diplomatic, economic, and strategic interactions among Cambodia, the United States, and China.
Applied process-tracing methodology to trace decision-making mechanisms and structural dependencies shaping foreign policy alignment.
Demonstrated that Cambodia practices constrained hedging through selective diversification, maintaining residual ties with the United States rather than executing full alignment.
Identified that heavy political and economic reliance on China significantly restricts autonomous foreign policy choices while still allowing limited strategic flexibility.

Cite This Study

Neak Vibol (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9fd7d558e84d0ff5b46e5c https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22582995

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Implication

Qualitative analysis reveals constrained hedging patterns in Cambodia's foreign policy, suggesting small states maintain limited strategic flexibility despite high economic dependence on China.

Constrained Hedging under Great Power Competition: Cambodia's Strategic Behavior Between the United States and China

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Constrained Hedging under Great Power Competition: Cambodia's Strategic Behavior Between the United States and China

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider