Cambodia’s Hun Sen expresses ‘regret’ over PM Lee’s comments on Vietnam invasion

PHNOM PENH/SINGAPORE — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has expressed “regret” over a recent Facebook post by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong touching on Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia in the 1970s, during the fight to topple the Khmer Rouge regime.

Mr Hun Sen’s comments have come amid strong reactions in both Cambodia and Vietnam over Mr Lee’s post last Friday (May 31), which was intended to express his condolences on the death of former Thai premier, General Prem Tinsulanonda, on May 26.

Mr Lee had said the former Thai leader's premiership coincided with the then-five Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) members — Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore — coming together to oppose "Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia and the Cambodian government that replaced the Khmer Rouge".

Mr Lee also praised Gen Prem for working with Asean to “oppose the Vietnamese occupation in international forums”, which “prevented the military invasion and regime change from being legitimised”. 

Mr Hun Sen weighed in on the issue in a Facebook post on Friday (June 7), written in Khmer. His comments were translated by Cambodian English-language newspaper, Khmer Times.

In his post, Mr Hun Sen reportedly said he deeply regrets to learn of Mr Lee’s post, and claimed that Mr Lee’s statement reflects Singapore’s support of the Khmer Rouge regime, and the wish for its return to Cambodia. 

Mr Hun Sen reportedly said that Mr Lee’s comments were “an insult to the sacrifice of the Vietnamese military volunteers who helped to liberate Cambodia from the genocidal regime”. 

More than 1.7 million people died under Khmer Rouge rule between 1975 and 1979.

Separately, Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it also "regretted" that Mr Lee's remarks did not "objectively reflect the historical truth" and, as a result, caused "negative impacts" on public opinions.  

A ministry spokesman was quoted as saying that Vietnam’s sacrifices in the joint effort with Cambodia to end the Khmer Rouge regime have been widely recognised.

TODAY has reached out to Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office for comment.