By hannover-web.com This year, two grey ships spotted by satellites at Cambodia’s Ream naval base have raised alarms in Washington regarding China’s growing military presence beyond its contested claims in the South China Sea. These vessels, recognized as type 056A corvettes from the Chinese navy, each weigh in at 1,500 tons and are docked at a newly constructed Chinese pier designed to accommodate significantly larger ships. The construction of additional facilities by China onshore indicates a burgeoning military footprint in the region.
Despite these developments, the Cambodian government firmly denies the existence of any foreign military base, pointing to its constitution, which prohibits a permanent foreign military presence. Officials assert that the Ream base remains open to all friendly naval forces. Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, stated, “It’s important to understand that this is a Cambodian base, not a Chinese one. Cambodia is a small country, and our military capacities are limited. We require more training from our friends abroad, particularly from China.”
Nevertheless, skepticism persists among international observers. As conversations about China’s naval capabilities grow, especially with the declaration that it possesses more ships than the U.S. navy, it’s worth noting that China currently has just one overseas military base in Djibouti, established in 2016. This stands in stark contrast to the United States, which operates around 750 military bases worldwide, including bases in Djibouti and several adjacent to China’s borders in Japan and South Korea.
American officials are concerned that this balance of military presence may soon change. They point to China’s ambitions of becoming a global military power and its significant infrastructure investments through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, which, under Chinese law, requires adherence to military construction standards. Some U.S. analysts speculate that China might eventually develop a network of global bases or civilian ports that could serve military purposes, with Ream potentially being one of the first locations.
The relationship between Cambodia and the United States has evolved notably in recent years. Just a few years ago, the U.S. was actively involved in upgrading facilities at Ream as part of a military aid package valued in the tens of millions of dollars annually. However, following political upheaval in Cambodia in 2017, which saw the ban of the main opposition party and subsequent exile or imprisonment of its leaders, U.S. assistance was sharply reduced. In the wake of this shift, the Cambodian government turned towards China, canceling regular military exercises with the U.S. in favor of the “Golden Dragon” drills with China.
By 2020, the U.S.-funded infrastructure at Ream began to be dismantled, clearing the way for expansive Chinese-funded upgrades. By the end of last year, the new pier was completed, resembling the length of the pier at the Djibouti base and large enough to accommodate China’s largest aircraft carrier.
