Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet inaugurated an expansion of the country’s main naval base on Saturday, a development that has raised concerns among analysts and the U.S. government, who suspect it may serve as a strategic outpost for China.
The expansion at Ream Naval Base, located on the Gulf of Thailand in southern Cambodia, includes a new pier capable of accommodating larger ships, a dry dock for repairs, and other enhancements. This project has attracted attention due to Cambodia’s close ties with China, its largest ally and source of investment and aid. The U.S. has expressed worries that Beijing may have been secretly granted special access to the base, a claim Cambodia’s officials have repeatedly denied.
During the opening ceremony, Hun Manet highlighted the timing, noting it came just two weeks before a visit from Chinese President Xi Jinping. He praised China for its support in the base’s construction and other projects, emphasizing strong bilateral relations. At the same time, he assured that the expansion was not a secret and that warships from friendly nations are welcome to visit and conduct joint military exercises, although very large ships cannot be accommodated.
“I want to make it clear that the Cambodian government, led by the Cambodian People’s Party, has never, and will never, allow any foreign country to establish exclusive military bases on Cambodian soil,” Hun Manet stated.
China’s Defense Ministry later announced that the new China-Cambodia Ream Naval Base Joint Support and Training Center would facilitate various joint operations, including counterterrorism, disaster relief, humanitarian aid, and military training. The center will host personnel from both countries to ensure smooth operations, based on mutual respect and equal consultation.
Chinese official Cao Qingfeng, a senior member of China’s Central Military Commission, expressed optimism about the base, describing it as a new platform to strengthen military ties between China and Cambodia. A group of at least 100 Chinese sailors, currently stationed temporarily at the base, participated in the ceremony, showcasing their presence.
The senior U.S. diplomat in Cambodia, Chargé d’Affaires Bridgette Walker, attended the event but refrained from commenting publicly.
In an effort to demonstrate openness, Cambodia announced plans to host a Japanese warship at Ream Naval Base, marking the first foreign warship to dock there. The Cambodian government emphasized this as a sign of its willingness to cooperate with nations beyond China, with Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force confirming the invitation, though specifics were not disclosed due to operational security.
This move is seen as a strategic gesture by Cambodia to counterbalance perceptions of Chinese dominance at the base. Concerns about China’s potential military use of Ream first surfaced in 2019 when reports emerged of a draft agreement that could grant China 30-year access to the base, allowing for military personnel, weapon storage, and warship docking.
Since breaking ground on the expansion in 2022, Cambodia and China have deepened their political, military, and economic ties. The project even involved demolishing naval structures previously built by the U.S., with limited explanation. In a further sign of this growing partnership, Cambodia’s Defense Ministry announced in September that China would provide two warships to Cambodia’s navy, even while the expansion was still underway.
