US envoy vows Cambodia scam crackdown
Washington, July 17 (IANS) President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the next US ambassador to Cambodia told lawmakers on Thursday (local time) that dismantling cyber scam centres operating in the Southeast Asian nation would be his top priority, while also pledging to deepen bilateral ties and counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Christopher Anderson, appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his confirmation hearing, said Cambodia had “the opportunity to be a growing partner, not a strategic vulnerability” and pledged to advance US interests through stronger security cooperation, economic engagement and regional partnerships.
“My top priority would be dismantling online scams and the criminal networks behind them,” Anderson said. “These operations have stolen tens of billions of dollars from American citizens. If confirmed, I will work with Cambodian counterparts and regional partners to deliver results,” he added.
The nominee, who currently serves as a national security adviser to Senator Steve Daines, said the US-Cambodia relationship was “fundamentally in a stronger place than it was a few years ago” and credited President Trump with helping facilitate a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand that had opened “a new chapter” in bilateral ties.
IN response to questions about China’s expanding footprint in Cambodia, Anderson said sustained engagement with Phnom Penh would be essential to preserving regional stability and ensuring Cambodia did not become overly dependent on Beijing.
He highlighted the Mekong-US Partnership as an important platform for economic and natural resource cooperation and said Washington should continue working with regional partners, including Japan, to strengthen development initiatives across mainland Southeast Asia.
On security cooperation, Anderson said the recently expanded Ream Naval Base remained a key issue for Washington after concerns over China’s involvement in its development.
“I think the first part of answering your question is engagement,” he said. “If confirmed, it will rely on me to sit down and have frank conversations of the reality of Ream Naval Base and if it truly is, as it says, open to all friendly nations.” He added that such engagement could create opportunities for additional visits by US naval vessels.
Anderson also argued that a more predictable investment climate would encourage greater American business activity in Cambodia.
“The goal would be to work together again, engagement, engagement with Cambodia to provide a predictable outlook for the future,” he said, adding that recent trade agreements and other bilateral initiatives could help encourage investment.
Responding to questions about online fraud, Anderson said combating scam compounds would require close coordination across multiple US agencies and regional governments.
“It’ll be State Department, Department of Justice, Department of War, and then our regional allies to really attack the scam centres,” he said. Eliminating the networks, he added, would also reduce demand for human trafficking linked to the criminal operations.
–IANS
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