British ambassador to Cambodia Dominic Williams (left) and the new Chinese ambassador to Cambodia, Wang Webin. FB
Foreign ambassadors and envoys play a crucial role in representing and protecting the interests of their respective countries while strengthening relations with their host countries through mutual support in various fields.
In Cambodia, it has been observed that some ambassadors go beyond this by promoting local products and tourism to the citizens of their countries. Analysts believe such actions reflect the goodwill and sincerity of these diplomats.
Recently, public attention has been focused on the new Chinese ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin, known as the "Wolf Warrior" for his strategic prowess. Wang frequently posts about Cambodian products and tourism on his social media.
During a meeting with Minister of Tourism Sok Soken on August 6, Wang wrote, "We welcome more Chinese people to visit Cambodia to enjoy its beautiful scenery and delicious food!"
On July 17, he promoted a ministry video about the country’s tourist areas, stating, "Cambodia is the best place to explore ancient temples, vibrant culture and amazing nature."
Wang further expressed his delight in seeing an increase in Chinese tourists visiting the "Kingdom of Wonders", noting that this year marks a significant year of exchange between the people of the two nations.
Upon his arrival in Cambodia, he shared a video about shopping for local products, "Made in Cambodia", which was well-received by Cambodian citizens.
British ambassador to Cambodia Dominic Williams is another active diplomat, often seen travelling to various tourist areas, purchasing local products and using services that help improve the livelihoods of people in those areas, such as riding tuk-tuks driven by women in Siem Reap province.
He has also enjoyed a trip to Kampot, taking photos of the sea horse statue.
Williams recently welcomed a group of young British tourists visiting for the first time, writing, "Like all tourists, they received a warm welcome from the Cambodian people, and they are highly interested in Cambodia’s amazing culture and delighted with the delicious food!"
Former US ambassador W Patrick Murphy, who recently completed his term, was also very active, traveling to various provinces and showcasing their attractions.
In addition, ambassadors from other embassies, such as Japan, India and France also promote Cambodian culture, tourism and products.
Khiev Thy, president of the Khmer Angkor Tour Guides Association (KATGA), thanked all the ambassadors for helping to promote Cambodian products, culture and tourism. He also encouraged citizens to help elevate their products and services and urged the government to improve the quality of products to meet local demand and for export.
"Therefore, when ambassadors or diplomats help to promote, we, as Cambodians, should also strive to support our own products. I commend them as their countries have established embassies here and are actively helping us. Hence, we must also help ourselves to succeed," he said.
Chhort Bunthang, a research officer at the Royal Academy of Cambodia’s (RAC) Institute of Cultural Relations, Tourism and Education, stated that diplomacy in any country aims to strengthen economic, political, social and cultural relations and serve the interests of their nations. For superpowers, diplomacy also aims to serve geopolitical interests.
"Every action of a diplomat follows political lines to promote relationships between countries. However, some diplomats are creative and sincere in strengthening relations through respect and friendliness with the host country, participating in promoting local products and tourism sites,” he said.
"Whether they help to promote us or not depends on the ambassador or consul general and the good relations between the host government and the government that established the embassy in Cambodia. If we have good relations with that country, everything will go well, and activities will follow accordingly,” he added.
Bunthang continued that good relations between Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and all diplomats also contribute to encouraging foreign diplomats to actively help promote the country’s potential.
He added that the sharing of information about the Kingdom’s tourist areas by ambassadors or foreign diplomats is very important in attracting more visitors.
"However, [foreign officials] cannot know all the tourist areas. Therefore, we, as hosts, must create events or forums and invite ambassadors or consuls general to participate. If the event is well-organised, they will help share and promote. For example, currently, during the low season, we need to organise events to attract tourists," he said.
Kin Phea, director of the International Relations Institute at RAC, stated that the support and promotion of the country by foreign diplomats are commendable and reflect the goodwill and sincerity of all diplomats in helping to elevate Cambodian products and tourist attractions.
He continued that this promotion "connects the hearts of people through products and tourism" and can have some influence on potential visitors in their home countries.
For China, which cannot use American social media platforms, Phea encouraged the Chinese embassy to share information about Cambodia on Chinese social networks.
With a perspective similar to other analysts, Phea stated that the country must continue to vigorously promote its potential through its mechanisms in various sectors. He also encouraged the promotion of local products and tourism abroad through media and influencers. Another crucial point, he said, is maintaining customer satisfaction.
"When people use [our] products or visit Cambodia, we should find ways to win their hearts, avoiding the desire for one-time profits, and aim for continuous tourist attraction. This is something tourism operators and service providers should think long-term about," he said.
