During the years of civil war that followed the Vietnamese invasion, the Phnom Penh government suffered the same isolation that was imposed on Vietnam. Recognized by few countries outside the Soviet bloc, it became an international pariah. The resistance movement that included the Khmer Rouge was allotted Cambodia's seat at the UN and gained the backing of an anti-Soviet, anti-Vietnamese alliance that included the USA and China.
Cambodia's new constitution talks of making the country once again a non-aligned "island of peace." While China and Thailand have disavowed their former support for the Khmer Rouge, the Thai military still provides arms, personnel and sanctuary for its troops, and China has supported King Sihanouk's call to bring the Khmer Rouge into the ruling coalition. By contrast, the USA has threatened to withdraw aid to the government if the Khmer Rouge is allowed to join the coalition. The government has to date been reluctant to fuel the historic animosity that exists with Vietnam.
