‍By CGTN's Asia Today

"The CNRP should disappear immediately, but according to some analysts, the party will be permitted to exist, at least it will be allowed to conduct some protests," said Professor Song Qingrun from the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

Song made the comments on CGTN’s Asia Today after Cambodia’s Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of the country’s main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) on Thursday, ruling that 118 members of the party were to be banned from office for five years.

Opposition leader Kem Sokha was arrested in September for allegedly plotting to topple the government with the US support. He was charged with treason, a crime that could lead to 30 years in prison.

The government lodged a complaint with the Supreme Court, requesting the dissolution of the CNRP on October 6.

But critics say the allegations against the CNRP are politically motivated by Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) ahead of the 2018 general elections.

Others have also alleged that as head of the Supreme Court, Dith Munty, is a longtime loyalist of Hun Sen, this has had an impact on the judicial independence of the court.

But according to Song, these are merely Western concerns.

"According to the Cambodian government’s announcement, they had evidence to prove that the top leaders of the CNRP had very close relations with Western countries and the court has evidence the leader has western countries’ help. I think this evidence is against the government and the law. I think the court ruling is based on law and the evidence.”

The CNRP is the main rival to the ruling CPP in the run-up to the national elections set to take place in July 2018.

In the last national vote in 2013, the CNRP earned 55 parliamentary seats while the CPP won 68 in the 123-seat parliament.

The CNRP’s dissolution is likely to be very welcome news for Hun Sen.

"On the one hand, maybe in the near future, Cambodia will see some turbulence. There will be some protests on the streets. This is possible. But on the other hand, in the general election, since the CNRP will disappear, its party members will be banned from politics for five years. So the party and its members will not have any parliament seat, and also there will be no ministerial level position for them," said Song.

"I think this is good news for the CPP and other parties, who will attend the general elections. These parties will enjoy CNRP’s parliament seats and control the political situation after the election."