China’s Strategic Presence in Cambodia Raises Concerns

In addition to the ongoing Golden Dragon military exercises between Cambodia and China, China’s involvement in Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand has raised concerns among the United States and some security analysts. Two Chinese naval vessels docked at a newly constructed Chinese-financed pier at the base in December 2020 during a visit by China’s top defense official. This move has led some to speculate that the base may eventually serve as a strategic outpost for China’s navy. Furthermore, Cambodia’s decision to proceed with a $1.7 billion Chinese-financed canal project connecting the capital, Phnom Penh, to the Gulf of Thailand has sparked worry from neighboring Vietnam, which fears that the canal’s 100-meter width and 5.4-meter depth could facilitate China’s potential military presence near its southern coast. These developments reflect the strong economic and political ties between Cambodia and China, with almost 40% of Cambodia’s $10 billion in foreign debt owed to China and Beijing generally supportive of Cambodia’s positions regarding human and political rights and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. However, these moves have also drawn criticism from Western nations, particularly the US, which has scaled back joint military exercises with Cambodia following the cancellation of the Angkor Sentinel drills in 2016. Nonetheless, the Golden Dragon exercises continue, with over 2,000 troops from both countries participating in the upcoming 15-day exercise, which aims to train for anti-terrorism operations and humanitarian relief missions in the region.