Cambodia Warns ‘Rule of Law’ Being Replaced by ‘Law of the Power’ in Global Politics

Cambodia Warns ‘Rule of Law’ Being Replaced by ‘Law of the Power’ in Global Politics

PHNOM PENH, March 5, 2026 — Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn warned on Thursday that global politics is increasingly shifting from the “rule of law” to the “law of the power,” posing growing challenges for smaller countries that rely on international law to protect their interests.

Speaking at the opening of the annual review meeting of Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Prak Sokhonn said the emerging global environment could have negative implications for Southeast Asia and Cambodia.

“In the current context, the rule of law is being replaced by the law of the power,” he said, warning that such a trend could sideline international legal norms that smaller states often depend on as protection for their core national interests.

He said the changing global landscape could affect Asia and Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, as geopolitical competition intensifies.

Prak Sokhonn said the two-day meeting brings together Cambodian diplomats to review the ministry’s work and discuss strategies to safeguard the country’s national interests and those of its citizens.

Participants will also examine Cambodia’s foreign policy direction, diplomatic tools and resources to reinforce the country’s neutral stance in international affairs, he added.