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Hun Sen is the former prime minister of Cambodia People's Party (CCP) from 1985. Before he joined the Khmer Rouge in 1970, he was a Buddhist monk. When the COVID outbreak occurred, Hun Sen visited China after the first outbreak and criticized other countries for not allowing individuals to travel to China, this is significant as it portrays how close China and Cambodia have become in recent years. Hun Sen's foreigns have also shifted to benefiting China, for instance, the construction of many hotels and tourist infrastructures to cater to Chinese tourism has been significantly increased to benefit China. This could also be an effect of both countries being in support of the Khmer Rouge back then. Although, during this month, tension has increased between China and Cambodia's foreign policies as Hun Sen denied China in building a military outpost in Cambodia. This could be motivated by Hun Sen's changing views on the Khmer Rouge, which is changing his foreign policies. - Viriya

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/cambodia-dismisses-us-sanctions-politically-motivated-81104750
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/10/xi-jinping-fake-history-lesson-hun-sen-china-cambodia-khmer-rouge/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cambodian-Peoples-Party

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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia on Thursday dismissed as "politically motivated" sanctions imposed by the United States on two senior defense officials over allegations of graft, accompanied by a broader warning of systemic corruption in the Southeast Asian nation.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan said Cambodia had not been told in advance about the sanctions, which are related to construction financing at the Ream Naval Base - a project that has raised U.S. concerns over China's involvement. He said Cambodia did not intend to respond to Washington.

"The sanctions imposed by the U.S. government were made unilaterally and their decision was not based on the rule of law - it is an injustice for Cambodia," he told The Associated Press.

"These sanctions were politically motivated, and it is not the position of Cambodia to talk with the U.S. on this matter," he said.

The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh would not comment on whether Cambodia had been in contact regarding the sanctions but said that the move would not have come as a surprise.

"U.S. officials have regularly raised concerns with Cambodia's officials about systemic corruption, transnational organized crime and human rights abuses," embassy spokesman Chad Roedemeier said.

"Regrettably there have been no meaningful changes," he added.

The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday, target Chau Phirun, the director general of the Defense Ministry's material and technical services department, and Tea Vinh, the commander of the Royal Cambodian Navy and brother of Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh.

The Treasury Department alleged that in 2020 and 2021, Chau conspired with Tea and other Cambodian officials to inflate costs of the Ream Naval Base construction project and then planned to use the funds for their own benefit.

"Chau and Tea were involved in corrupt acts that undermined the rule of law and the Cambodian public's faith in their government institutions and public processes, including by using their political influence and official power for personal benefit," U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Neither the Cambodian Defense Ministry nor the Royal Cambodian Navy could immediately be reached for comment.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin defended what he called "equal and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Cambodia" on the project and accused the U.S. of interfering in Cambodia's affairs by levying sanctions.

"China has always opposed unilateral sanctions and the so-called long-arm jurisdiction of the U.S., as well as its gross interference in other countries' internal affairs," he said at a daily briefing in Beijing.

The sanctions render Chau, Tea and their immediate family members ineligible for entry into the U.S., and freeze any assets in the U.S. that they hold. The Treasury Department did not detail whether either individual or their immediate families had financial interests in the U.S.

In addition to the sanctions, the Treasury Department, State Department and Commerce Department issued a business advisory cautioning U.S. firms "to be mindful of interactions with entities involved in corrupt business practices, criminal activities and human rights abuses."

It identified two primary areas of risk: illegal financial activities in the financial, real estate, casino and infrastructure sectors, and entities involved in the trafficking of humans, wildlife and narcotics and "related risks in some areas of the manufacturing and timber sectors."

American relations with the government of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in office for 36 years, have long been frosty over concerns about the country's poor record on human and political rights.

In recent months, the U.S. has expressed further worries about ties between Cambodia and China, and has urged the leaders of Cambodia, which frequently supports Beijing's positions, to maintain an independent and balanced foreign policy.

New tensions have focused partly on China's construction of facilities at the Ream Naval Base, and the possibility its military could seek future basing rights there. Hun Sen has strongly denied reports that Cambodia would allow China to set up a military outpost there, saying such an agreement would be forbidden by Cambodia's constitution.

The base faces the Gulf of Thailand, which lies adjacent to the South China Sea, and holding basing rights in Cambodia would extend Beijing's strategic military profile considerably.

In a meeting with Hun Sen in June, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman expressed concern about China's construction of new facilities at Ream.

She also sought clarification about the demolition of two U.S.-funded buildings at Ream without notification or explanation, and "observed that a (Chinese) military base in Cambodia would undermine its sovereignty, threaten regional security and negatively impact U.S.-Cambodia relations," according to the State Department.

----

Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press journalist Sam McNeil in Beijing contributed to this report.

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Cambodia dismisses US sanctions as 'politically motivated'

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PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia on Thursday dismissed as "politically motivated" sanctions imposed by the United States on two senior defense officials over allegations of graft, accompanied by a broader warning of systemic corruption in the Southeast Asian nation.

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He has been the president of Germany since 2017 and was previously Minister of Foreign affairs from 2005 to 2009 and from 2013 to 2017. Germany's foreign policy includes strengthening EU cohesion and keeping close cooperation with all EU member states. Germany is committed to peace and security around the world and it promotes the strengthening of democracy, the rule of law and human rights worldwide. Also, Germany aims to ensure globalization is fair and sustainable.

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THUHA: Angela Merkel is the first female chancellor in Germany. She had successfully guided her country through a number of major turbulences, from the 2008 global financial crisis to Brexit, the imperative to drop fossil fuels, and the COVID pandemic. She was on of the most dominant state figures for almost 2 decades, also one of the the most recognisable and influential people in the world. She had not only contributed to Germany’s growing economy, but also preventing the EU from falling apart during the world financial crisis in 2008. During the Covid 19 pandemic, her background in science had supported her in dealing with Germany covid outbreaks better than many other neighbours, despite the nation’s massive population and disadvantage geography. During her time, her scientist traits had helped significantly in her decision making and problem-solving process. She was described as patient and discerning, who has vision and strategy, and understands the value of planning for the long term. She was both rational and empirical in her actions which explained very well her long-term success in her tenure. 

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THUHA: Angela Merkel is the first female chancellor in Germany. She had successfully guided her country through a number of major turbulences, from the 2008 global financial crisis to Brexit, the imperative to drop fossil fuels, and the COVID pandemic. She was on of the most dominant state figures for almost 2 decades, also one of the the most recognisable and influential people in the world. She had not only contributed to Germany’s growing economy, but also preventing the EU from falling apart during the world financial crisis in 2008. During the Covid 19 pandemic, her background in science had supported her in dealing with Germany covid outbreaks better than many other neighbours, despite the nation’s massive population and disadvantage geography. During her time, her scientist traits had helped significantly in her decision making and problem-solving process. She was described as patient and discerning, who has vision and strategy, and understands the value of planning for the long term. She was both rational and empirical in her actions which explained very well her long-term success in her tenure. 

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Henry Kissinger, who was formerly President Nixons Secretary of State, is a famed politician known as one of the foremost realist state actors of the 20th century. He started studying at Harvard University in 1947, learning about political science and literature. Through his dissertation and subsequent exploits Kissinger became a prominent figure in the US political sphere. His experiences fighting in WW2 and his studies concerning the weimar republic helped shaped his realist worldview, which in turn influenced his policy making decisions. Concerning nuclear weapons, he was a proponent of using them, instead of hiding them away to be used as a mere threat of deadly force, in this he cited the analogy of the British and Austrian Empires in trying to contain Napoleonic France, urging the US government to heed this lesson when dealing with the Soviet Union.

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Donald Trump was the 45th President of the United States throughout the years of 2017 to 2021.
His foreign policy throughout his presidency can be described as "unpredictable and reneging" in regards to prior international commitments, upending diplomatic conventions, embracing political and economic brinkmanship and straining relationships with traditional American allies.
A constant key theme of Trump's campaign was his view that "The United States had long been treated unfairly or taken advantage of by other countries and that under Obama's Leadership, The United States had ceased to be respected in worldly affairs". (Duignan, 2021) causing Trump to threaten to impose Tariffs on countries that engaged in his personally deemed 'Unfair trade practices', critiquing the NATO, dismissed alliances and withdrew the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

- Duignan, B., 2021. Donald Trump | Biography, Education, & Facts. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Donald-Trump> [Accessed 25 November 2021].

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Japans 3rd prime minster within a year replacing shinzo Abe. former foreign minister, both grandfather and father where part of the National Diet. Kishida spent 3 years in new york with his father who was a senior trade minister official."kishida will likely continue Japan’s promotion of the Quad – the security grouping made up of Japan, the US, Australia — and may even adopt Kono’s proposal to develop nuclear-powered submarines".

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Joko Widodo was the first Indonesian president not to come from an elite political or military background. He grew up in a low middle class family and did carpenting and started his own business involving furniture which became successful. Later decided to become a politician and became Surakarta's mayor in 2005 then mayor of Jakarta in 2012, and then President of Indonesia since 2014.

His foreign policy involves upholding that of his predecessor SBY, with the mission statement 'a thousand friends and zero enemies'. Widodo holds no tolerance to the compromising of sovereignty such as in the case of illegal fishing by China in Indonesian waters. It is important to note that foreign policy making made during Widodo's administration is left to key advisers, as Joko Widodo himself is inexperienced in this matter -Sultan

Indonesian foreign policy under President Jokowi | Lowy Institute

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As Jokowi learns more about foreign affairs through the practice of it, he may come to his own views on the subject. But until he does, he will rely upon a team of advisers for foreign policy advice. They include long-time political supporters with expertise in the area, academics recruited to tutor Jokowi as he prepared his candidacy, the leadership of Jokowi's political party, an experienced vice president, military leaders, and professional diplomats.

Luhut Panjaitan, Jokowi's oldest supporter

Jokowi's closest adviser on national security matters is General (Ret.) Luhut Panjaitan. Luhut was a special forces (Kopassus) commander during the New Order, who developed a particular expertise in counter-terrorism, becoming the first leader of the elite counter-terrorism unit Detachment 81 in the 1980s.

After the fall of Suharto, Luhut briefly served as ambassador to Singapore and minister of trade and industry under President Abdurrahman Wahid. He arrived in Singapore when tensions between Indonesia and Singapore were at a high. Nevertheless, Singaporean diplomats have praised Luhut's approach to diplomacy with Indonesia's neighbours as reasonable and cooperative.

Although Luhut was asked to stay on after Megawati became president, he decided to leave government to found a resources business instead. As that business became highly successful, he became involved in Golkar Party politics, rising to become deputy chairman of its board from 2008-2014. (Golkar was once the party of Suharto, but now exists as one of three large nationalist - as opposed to Islamic-based - parties.) He resigned in May 2014 after Golkar backed the candidacy of Prabowo, with whom he had a long rivalry in the military.

Luhut's relationship with Jokowi goes back further than any of Jokowi's other advisers on foreign affairs and national security. In 2008, Luhut was looking for someone who could turn raw timber from his forestry concession in Kalimantan into finished products. An acquaintance introduced him to a furniture exporter who had recently been elected mayor of Surakarta. Luhut could not have known at the time that Jokowi would become the President of the Republic just six years later, but he has supported him throughout. His financial largesse kept Jokowi's presidential campaign afloat. When Jokowi declared victory in front of the Proklamasi Statue on 9 July, Luhut stood beside him.

Luhut will remain influential with Jokowi whether or not he takes a Cabinet post. He would be a likely candidate to become Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law, and Security, a post that has traditionally been occupied by retired generals. There is talk in Jakarta of giving coordinating ministers greater authority over line ministries - in this case, the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs - which would make them significantly more powerful. The post's counter-terrorism focus under SBY would suit Luhut's background, although it is not clear that its next occupant would retain those roles.

Wherever Luhut lands, he is likely to be a key interlocutor for officials from neighbouring countries, particularly Australia, Singapore and Malaysia, as all four begin to confront the threat of Southeast Asian and Australian jihadists returning from the Middle East.

Rizal Sukma has the ear of the president

Jokowi's surprisingly strong performance in the campaign's only foreign policy debate can largely be attributed to the advice provided by Rizal Sukma, the executive director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta. Sukma tutored Jokowi for months on foreign policy issues as a member of the group of academics known as 'Team 11' that began preparing Jokowi for a run at the presidency months before his candidacy was announced, and conducted preparation sessions in the days leading up to the debate. He also played a leading role in crafting the foreign policy sections of Jokowi's visi-misi statement.

Sukma is well known to foreign diplomats and think tankers in world capitals, who often praise his unsentimental approach to international relations and his forthright speaking style. As the executive director of CSIS, Sukma was able to tap the expertise within his organisation in preparing Jokowi for the presidency. He is likely to continue to do so as he advises Jokowi in government.

Senior diplomats of the foreign ministry vie for pre-eminence

If the next foreign minister is a lawyer, it may very well be Indonesia's ambassador to the European Union, Arif Havas Oegroseno. Though Havas was dispatched to Brussels shortly after Natalegawa was named foreign minister, he previously served as Wirajuda's point man on international maritime negotiations, an area of critical importance to an archipelagic state with long-standing preoccupations regarding depredations on its sovereignty. As a change in Cabinet has neared, Havas has sought to raise his profile in Jakarta through a series of op-eds and public appearances.

Havas and the legalists in the foreign ministry approach diplomatic problems as legal problems, which can frustrate Western diplomats who espouse a realist approach to international relations, or who are interested in a more transactional relationship. But as foreign minister, he would be a strong voice for international law in a region where much of the debate about the rise of China turns on its disrespect for international law in the South China Sea.

PDI-P stalwarts rely on Megawati's influence

Jokowi is a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, led by Megawati Sukarnoputri. While Megawati and other leaders of the party are generally adherents of the status quo in the regional order, they often look to her father and Indonesia's founding president, Sukarno, for rhetorical inspiration. Sukarno was president at a very different time, when Indonesia's struggle for independence and tensions with its neighbours defined its foreign policy. As a result, the view of Indonesia's place in the world espoused by Megawati and PDI-P members can often seem more adversarial toward the West than it really is.

Much more consequential has been the contribution of Andi Widjajanto, formerly a defence scholar at the University of Indonesia who resigned his position to lead Jokowi's campaign team. He currently serves as one of the deputies on the transition team for defence and security matters. Andi's father was a loyal aide to Megawati. His dying wish was that his son should help PDI-P recapture the presidency. Nevertheless, Andi's credentials extend beyond lineage, as one of Indonesia's most prominent advocates of the transformation of TNI.

Jusuf Kalla, an experienced vice president

Jusuf Kalla returns to the vice presidency, which he held from 2004-2009, after five years. Jokowi would be wise to use Kalla, a veteran deal-maker who served as the chairman of Golkar while vice president, to negotiate difficult deals with an obstructionist legislature. But people close to the two men say that Jokowi has reined in Kalla, fearful that his deals - which by their very nature protect or advance rival politicians' political or economic interests - are unethical, and will thus dilute Jokowi's moral authority.

If Jokowi refuses to allow Kalla to make deals in the legislature, Kalla may turn to another area of interest, foreign affairs. As vice president, Kalla played a major role in the conclusion of the peace agreement in Aceh. Since then, he has offered his good offices as a peacemaker to opposing sides in conflicts in Southern Thailand, the Philippine island of Mindanao, and Myanmar's Rakhine State, as well - all areas with large Muslim populations that suffer from sectarian violence.

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Indonesian foreign policy under President Jokowi

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As Jokowi learns more about foreign affairs through the practice of it, he may come to his own views on the subject. But until he does, he will rely upon a team of advisers for foreign policy advice.

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Donald Trump is the US' 45th president as well as a big media personality.Donald Trump's administration witnessed a significant shift away from US leadership in sectors like trade and diplomacy, as well as a broadening of immigration laws. Donald Trump pledges America's first approach to foreign policy and trade in his inaugural speech, with a focus on lowering trade deficits and rebalancing burden sharing within alliances. He made big adjustments in a short period of time, such as the travel ban, hitting Syria in 2017, and rolling back ties with Cuba.

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Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Iran's top diplomat and foreign minister from 2013 to 2021.

He spent his life working as a diplomat, serving in different parts of the world.

He was educated in the US, holding a B.A M.A and Ph.D. in International relations meaning he has deep experience in that field. His life in the US made him well accustomed to some American politicians like John Kerry, which also contributed to his role as a foreign minister later. later he became a professor at the University of Tehran. That played a huge role in the success he had as a foreign minister.

He is best known for his effort in the Joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA) and 5 +1 regarding Iran’s nuclear deal as well as lifting the economic sanction imposed on Iran.

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Vladimir Putin's rise to power started with his entry into Leningrad State University to study  law. There he became a member of the Communist party and met  several people such as Anatoly Sobchack who helped him in his later careers. After graduation he would serve 15 years as an agent of the KGB, mainly operating in East Germany. His experience in Germany would make him fluent in Germany and several other languages.

His rise to become one of Russia's top politicians began when he became deputy mayor to Sobchack, who admired his talent. Soon in 1996 Putin would move to Moscow and quickly rise through the ranks. In 1998 he was appointed by president Yeltsin as the head of the FSB. Due to Yeltsin's unpopularity and numerous domestic and Foreign failures he appointed the then unknown Putin to become prime minister of Russia.

Putin's time as prime minister would make him popular, as his cold and decisive nature was appreciated by the Russian public. However in the year 2000 Yeltsin would suddenly retire allowing Putin to become president of Russia. As president Putin would use his skills as a former KGB agent as knowledge of the law to crackdown on corporate corruption, which was rampant after the fall of the USSR. He would also wage a long but decisive war against Chechen separatist, who had foiled the attempts of the previous administration to conquer them.

Thanks to his multilingualism and extensive knowledge of other world powers, Putin would always put Russia in favorable position. Constantly exploiting the weaknesses of other nations. This was best seen in the Ukrainian constitutional crisis of 2014. Putin would use the former president of Ukraine as a reason to seize land and dominate Ukrainian politics.

Vladimir Putin - Silencing critics and actions in the West 3,October 2021., Encyclopedia Britannica.

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The foreign policy of Vladimir Putin concerns the policies of Russia's president Vladimir Putin with respect to other nations. He held office from 2000 to 2008, and assumed power again in 2012.