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.
This should be the year in which the democracies, especially those in East Asia, lose their fear of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) “one China principle” plus its nuclear “Cognitive Warfare” coercion strategies, all designed to achieve hegemony without fighting. For 2025, stoking regional and global fear was a major goal for the CCP and its People’s Liberation Army (PLA), following on Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) Little Red Book admonition, “We must be ruthless to our enemies; we must overpower and annihilate them.” But on Dec. 17, 2025, the Trump Administration demonstrated direct defiance of CCP terror with its record US$11.1 billion arms
China’s recent aggressive military posture around Taiwan simply reflects the truth that China is a millennium behind, as Kobe City Councilor Norihiro Uehata has commented. While democratic countries work for peace, prosperity and progress, authoritarian countries such as Russia and China only care about territorial expansion, superpower status and world dominance, while their people suffer. Two millennia ago, the ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius (孟子) would have advised Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) that “people are the most important, state is lesser, and the ruler is the least important.” In fact, the reverse order is causing the great depression in China right now,
In 2009, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) made a welcome move to offer in-house contracts to all outsourced employees. It was a step forward for labor relations and the enterprise facing long-standing issues around outsourcing. TSMC founder Morris Chang (張忠謀) once said: “Anything that goes against basic values and principles must be reformed regardless of the cost — on this, there can be no compromise.” The quote is a testament to a core belief of the company’s culture: Injustices must be faced head-on and set right. If TSMC can be clear on its convictions, then should the Ministry of Education
We are used to hearing that whenever something happens, it means Taiwan is about to fall to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) cannot change the color of his socks without China experts claiming it means an invasion is imminent. So, it is no surprise that what happened in Venezuela over the weekend triggered the knee-jerk reaction of saying that Taiwan is next. That is not an opinion on whether US President Donald Trump was right to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro the way he did or if it is good for Venezuela and the world. There are other, more qualified
RSS