China’s relationship with Cambodia has been fairly warm for quite some time. The two countries held a joint military exercise at a newly expanded naval base, yesterday. The facility is along the Gulf of Thailand. The United States is worried of its becoming a military outpost for the Chinese.
Conducted one day after the expanded Ream Naval Base was inaugurated, warships from both countries conducted drills including formation manoeuvring, China Central Television (CCTV) reported late on Sunday.
In the future, such exercises will most likely become more frequent, involving not only naval but also land and air elements, and would help “safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea,” China’s state-run Global Times reported, citing Chinese military experts.
Chinese military vessels have been rotating through Ream in the province of Sihanoukville since a Beijing-funded upgrade kicked off in June 2022.
The upgrade came after Cambodia demolished a U.S.-built facility at the base in Sihanoukville in 2020, having declined Washington’s offer to repair it.
Cambodia has repeatedly denied reports of a clandestine deal with China to station its forces at the base, and said that it is open to hosting military vessels from other countries.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and a delegation of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) attended the inauguration ceremony on Saturday of the expanded base, which now includes a new pier that could host larger vessels, according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.
With the greater part of the South China Sea being claimed by the Chinese, there isa definite requirement for China to establish bases along the coast. These bases are meant to scare the countries in the region and force them to bow to Chinese pressure. However, a disinclination to accept Chinese dictates is also visible in the countries in the region. But these countries, mostly much smaller than China, have to look for regional and global powers to co-author their security.
Team BharatShakti
(With Inputs from Reuters)
