US Warship Makes Rare Visit To Cambodia Base At Center Of Feud

By Philip J. Heijmans

Dec 13, 2024, 2:04 AM – (Bloomberg) –The US will send a warship to visit a naval base in Cambodia for the first time since the Southeast Asian nation reportedly signed a deal in 2019 that would allow China to establish a permanent foothold there. 

The USS Savannah — an Independence-class littoral combat ship — along with 103 crew members, will dock at Ream Naval Base on Monday for a five-day visit that will include meetings with the base commander and provincial officials, Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense announced on Friday. 

The landing of this ship will “strengthen and expand the friendship, as well as promote bilateral cooperation,” the ministry said in a statement, describing the visit as a “milestone” in the improvement of US-Cambodia ties. 

The move signals an attempt by Washington to rebuild its relationship with Cambodia after suspicions arose over the deal Beijing was said to have signed five years ago giving the Chinese military exclusive access to part of the naval base in the Gulf of Thailand. The US has said Ream will eventually become China’s first outpost in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Read Also: Is China Building A Secret Navy Base Near The Singapore Strait?

Cambodian authorities have repeatedly denied that such a deal exists and that a foreign military base on its territory would amount to a violation of its national sovereignty. Beijing has also denied plans for a Chinese military base in the Southeast Asia country. 

Related Article: Dredgers Spotted Off Cambodian Base Where China’s Growing Influence Is Of Concern

The US Embassy in Cambodia didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on the upcoming visit.

A recent report by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute said that China is unlikely to take control of the naval base as it has limited strategic value in Beijing’s push to project power in the South China Sea. Geographic limitations and domestic political constraints in Cambodia are also roadblocks for such an outcome, it said.

Still, China has continued to support redevelopment at the base and sent warships there on a rare visit last year, reinforcing the US concerns. Beijing has said renovations at Ream were “aimed at strengthening the Cambodian navy’s ability to safeguard maritime territorial integrity and combat maritime crimes.”

© 2024 Bloomberg L.P.

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