Role of the Chinese overseas in the history of Cambodia in the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries

The article is dedicated to the description of the role of Chinese immigrants and descendants of such immigrants in the historical development of the Khmer state throughout the XX - beginning of the XXI centuries. The analysis covers the dynamics of Chinese immigration to Cambodia, the characteristics of the development of Chinese diaspora in this country, and the peculiarities of interaction between the Chinese Overseas and the local population. The article covers the specifics of livelihood and of activities of the Chinese Overseas in Cambodia during the colonial period of its history before 1953, and also during the period after its independence: in the times of existence of the Kingdom of Cambodia (1953-1970), under the political regime of the Khmer Republic (1970-1975), in the years of existence of the Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1979), during the decade after the proclamation of the People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979-1989), under the government of the State of Cambodia (1989-1993), and finally after the restoration of the Kingdom of Cambodia in 1993. The article includes a number of conclusions regarding the role of the Chinese Overseas in the history of Cambodia during different periods of the XX - beginning of the XXI centuries. Particularly, it is shown that their position in the history of this country practically during the whole analyzed period has been quite ambivalent. On the one hand, the Chinese Overseas have become pioneers of capitalistic development in Cambodia in the first half of the XX century, on the other hand, the attitude of the Khmer population of the country and of the various governments towards them has often been somewhat suspicious, and during certain years even hostile. These kinds of contradictions determined the importance of writing this article.