Cambodia–France relations
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Cambodia–France relations ( km, ទំនាក់ទំនងកម្ពុជា–បារាំង, french: Relations Cambodge–France) are the
bilateral relations Bilateralism is the conduct of political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which is activity by a single state or jointly by multiple states, respectively. When ...
between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the
French Republic France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
. Cambodia was a
protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over m ...
of France from 11 August 1863 to 9 November 1953. King Norodom approached the French in 1861, in an attempt to stop neighbors
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
and
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
from swallowing Cambodia's land.


History

A treaty was signed in 1863 by King Norodom and was approved by his counterpart
Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...
. Cambodia officially became a protectorate of the French empire on 11 August 1863. Cambodia gained its independence in November 1953, thanks to Prince
Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, Norodom Sihanouk filmography, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in vari ...
. France and Cambodia enjoy close relations, stemming partly from the days of the French Protectorate and partly from the role played by France in the signing of the peace agreements in Paris in 1991, and further cemented by the French language. These relations are gradually adapting to Cambodia's growing integration into its regional environment and its progress towards the status of a Middle Income Country, hopefully by 2020. The "Orientation and Cooperation Document" signed in 2010, steers our cooperation towards the following goal: "supporting economic growth and job creation in Cambodia by developing human capital and promoting French private investment". French president
Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...
visited Cambodia in 1966 and was given a warm welcome by
Prince Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in various capacities throughout his ...
.


French assistance

France was part of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia.


Migration

France has one of the largest Cambodian diaspora communities outside the United States, largely because of the refugees who fled Cambodia who escaped the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. As of 2015, there are around 80,000 Cambodians living in France. A Cambodian restaurant ''Le Petit Cambodge'' was among the sites of the
November 2015 Paris attacks The November 2015 Paris attacks () were a series of coordinated Islamist terrorist attacks that took place on Friday, 13 November 2015 in Paris, France, and the city's northern suburb, Saint-Denis. Beginning at 9:15p.m., three suicide bombers ...
, though it is unclear whether any Cambodians were among those killed.


See also

* French language in Cambodia


Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cambodia-France relations Bilateral relations of France
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
Relations of colonizer and former colony