Interpreting the China-Cambodia Joint Statement, Cambodia May Face Another Refugee Crisis Again

This time, China and Cambodia jointly issued a statement, in which four detailed readings can reveal clues:

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Original text: "Strengthen cooperation in combating telecommunications fraud and cybercrime... establish a specialized anti-fraud and anti-gambling joint mechanism."

📌 Analysis:

This is the first time in an official bilateral joint statement that "anti-fraud" and "anti-gambling" are listed side by side, proposing to "establish mechanisms"

It implicitly acknowledges the high overlap between gambling platforms and fraudulent activities

Directly forming a policy blockade against the "gambling shell + telecom fraud body" model within the park

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Original text: "The two sides will accelerate the establishment of a hotline between the two countries' public security departments, facilitating rapid response to cross-border criminal activities, especially in the fields of telecommunications fraud and online gambling."

📌 Analysis:

The hotline mechanism is an execution tool, indicating that the Chinese side will keep real-time track of park dynamics and transfer clues instantly

"Online gambling" is explicitly included in the scope of law enforcement cooperation, indicating that gambling will no longer be considered a "controlled fringe area"

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Original text: "Create a green, digital, high-quality cooperation park... establish and promote a 'co-build, co-manage, co-share' mechanism."

📌 Analysis:

The subtext is a denial of "traditional gambling parks": not green, not high-quality, not transparent

In the future, Cambodia may turn to attract investments in manufacturing, digital services, education, agriculture, and other "clean industries," marginalizing gambling

Original text: "Jointly combat cross-border crime, money laundering, human trafficking" "Promote the construction of a safer, fairer, and more stable development environment."

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📌 Analysis:

Money laundering + human trafficking are common issues in gambling parks, and the official use of these terms indicates that "gray industries are becoming targets for rectification"

Combined with the dense layout of parks in Sihanoukville, Kampong, and the outskirts of Phnom Penh, these areas are very likely to be included in the next round of key clean-up areas

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Personnel trend: Another exodus may occur

As in 2019, a large number of park employees may attempt to relocate (to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Georgia, Malaysia for dispersed office relocation), facing a situation with "no retreat," and high anxiety about lower-level mobility.