China-backed Cambodian naval base construction visible via Satellite images: US think tank
China’s People’s Liberation Army is increasing its presence in Cambodia by continuing construction of new facilities at Ream Naval Bas, said the US think tank.
- World News
- 2 min read
China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) seems to be ramping up its presence in Cambodia by continuing the construction of new facilities at Ream Naval Base, stated a Washington-based think tank citing satellite images. China and Cambodia began enhancing their security cooperation in 2019 prompting “serious concerns” from the United States State Department over the alleged military presence of China in the Southeast Asian country.
Analysing the images captured by the US private Earth-imaging firm Maxar, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) stated that within less than two weeks in August, two new buildings were constructed along the coast in the base’s northern area. The buildings discovered now were next to the two similar structures built earlier this year. AMTI noted that work has also kickstarted on a new road from the base’s southeast gate to the new facilities.
AMTI stated, “Construction continues at Ream Naval Base amid concerns that the new facilities are being built to facilitate a Chinese military presence in Cambodia. Over the course of August and September, three new buildings have gone up and a new road has been cleared, among other changes.”
“Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs shows that between August 9 and 22, two new buildings were constructed toward the north of the base. These are just next to two built in the spring,” it added.
UPDATE: Over the course of August and September, three new buildings have gone up and a new road has been cleared at Cambodia's Ream Naval Base, where concerns over possible Chinese military access linger amid Beijing-backed construction. https://t.co/C1w5qeHY6s pic.twitter.com/YRlRFN6AJ8
— AMTI (@AsiaMTI) October 15, 2021
The US raises ‘serious concerns
Earlier, on June 1, United States senior diplomat Wendy Sherman says Washington has “serious concerns” about China’s “military presence” at a naval base undergoing China-backed expansion on Cambodia’s coast. The deputy secretary of state made the remarks during the two-hour meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh. At the time, she described her meeting with Hun as “candid.”
As per the official release by the United States Embassy, Sherman also called on Cambodia to suspend “politically motivated charges against members of the political opposition, journalists and activists.” However, Hun Sen backed his country’s close relations with China in May this year while speaking at Nikkei's Future of Asia conference. Meanwhile, responding to Sherman’s concerns, Cambodian defence minister Tea Banh admitted that China was helping build infrastructure at the base but said it came with “no strings attached.”