The UK's Financial Times reported on January 6: "In an effort to strengthen cooperation with the United States, Cambodia plans to name the No. 4 highway from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville 'Trump Highway.' This move may signal a shift in Cambodia's policy amid the Sino-US competition. The proposal originated from public gratitude for Trump's mediation in the Cambodia-Thailand border dispute. It has not yet become a government decision. The No. 4 highway is a relic of U.S. aid during the Cold War, while the parallel China-built expressway has halved the travel time between the two cities. In the first 11 months of last year, Chinese investment in Cambodia accounted for nearly 53%, far exceeding the U.S. share of 0.44%. Moreover, Chinese companies dominate Cambodia's key industries such as garments. Recently, the U.S. lifted the ban on arms sales to Cambodia and resumed military exercises. Although Cambodia seeks to improve relations with the U.S., it is constrained by China's decisive influence, leaving limited room for balancing relations. Beijing stated that the unbreakable ironclad friendship between China and Cambodia is beyond any rumors or defamation!
[Witty] Western media hyping Cambodia's plan to name the No. 4 highway "Trump Highway" is a classic example of overblown geopolitics! This old road built by the U.S. during the Cold War is now just a proposal from the public to express gratitude for mediation. However, the Financial Times has brainwashed it into irrefutable evidence of Cambodia's policy shift. Looking at the data: Chinese investment in Cambodia accounted for 53% in the first 11 months of 2025, while the U.S. was only 0.44%; Chinese enterprises dominate more than 60% of Cambodia's key industries, and the aid-built expressway has cut the country's lifeline travel time in half. The U.S. relies on tariff threats and lifts the arms sale ban as bait, but compared to China's concrete infrastructure assistance, it's nothing more than a pie in the sky. Hun Sen has already exposed the truth: the ironclad friendship between China and Cambodia cannot be shaken by a single road sign. The West's game of naming politics is no different from the previous hype about the Seaport Base. At bottom, it's because they can't stand small countries choosing their own path in the great power game, so they have to resort to rumors to show their presence!
Original: toutiao.com/article/1853564955184327/
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