At the ASEAN summit’s conclusion, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge commander who has ruled his country with an iron fist for three decades, closed the meeting by proclaiming that all of the leaders had agreed not to “internationalize” sovereignty disputes over islands in the South China Sea. Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, present at the summit to sign new multi-million-dollar aid agreements with Cambodia, smiled and nodded in agreement at this apparent acceptance of Chinese wishes.
金边东盟和东亚领导人峰会——奥巴马亚洲之行的另一重要一站——证实了这一点。在东盟峰会上，前红色高棉指挥官、三十年来对柬埔寨实施着铁腕统治的首相洪森在闭幕词上说，所有领导人都同意不将南海岛屿主权争端“国际化”。中国总理温家宝对这一显然让中国得偿所愿的决定微笑着点头。在峰会中，温家宝签署了数千万美元的援助柬埔寨新协议。