The son almost rises: Cambodia’s Hun Sen the power behind throne

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet kept a low profile at the ASEAN summit in Vientiane, holding meetings on the sidelines with fellow leaders but making no public statements to the media.

An ex-military man, he marched straight past waiting reporters as he arrived for summit sessions, his most animated moment a jovial conversation with Singapore’s foreign minister.

More than a year after inheriting power from his father Hun Sen, he has yet to hold an open news conference to explain how he will navigate challenges including balancing China and the West.