How China Rebuilt a Cambodian Naval Base

In 2020, one thing curious occurred at Cambodia’s Ream army base, on the Gulf of Thailand.

Not lengthy after submitting — after which abruptly withdrawing — a request for the U.S. Protection Division to refurbish components of the bottom, Cambodian officers proceeded to demolish the American-funded buildings that have been already there, some solely 4 years previous.

Then the Chinese language started working.

Since December, two Chinese language warships have docked almost day-after-day on the quickly increasing port. And the work happening at Ream is consistent with a Chinese language constructing spree that ranges from close to the Purple Sea to the South China Sea.

The Chinese language army presence close to one of many world’s most important sea lanes raises basic questions on Beijing’s ambitions. Whereas the American constellation of army bases stays by far the most important on the planet, a resurgent China is bringing international locations like Cambodia into its orbit.

“The potential for a everlasting Chinese language army presence in Cambodia raises important geopolitical issues,” stated Sophal Ear, a Cambodian-American political scientist on the Thunderbird College of International Administration at Arizona State College. “It might immediate strategic changes from the U.S. and heighten world perceptions of Chinese language militarization.”

The Lengthy Go to

On Dec. 3, 2023, Cambodia’s protection minister introduced that two Chinese language Navy corvettes have been visiting Ream for a joint army train. Satellite tv for pc photos present that the warships had arrived two days earlier. They’ve stayed within the neighborhood ever since.

The corvettes are the one ships which have docked on the new Chinese language-built pier at Ream, which may accommodate ships far bigger than any in Cambodia’s fleet. Cambodia’s personal smaller corvettes dock at a way more modest pier to the south.

Over the previous few years, American officers and Japanese naval vessels have additionally tried to go to Ream. They have been denied full entry.

“We’re clear eyed in regards to the Folks’s Republic of China’s efforts to ascertain abroad army bases, together with at Ream,” stated John Supple, a Pentagon spokesman. “We’re notably involved in regards to the Folks’s Republic of China’s lack of transparency round its intentions and the phrases it negotiates, as a result of international locations ought to be free to make sovereign decisions that assist their pursuits and regional safety.”

The Cambodians deny any larger Chinese language intent.

When Lloyd J. Austin III, the U.S. secretary of protection, traveled to Cambodia in early June, he was informed by his counterparts there that China was merely serving to Cambodia modernize its army, not constructing a base for itself.

“The Ream army base is Cambodia’s, not the army base of any nation,” Mey Dina, the commander of the bottom, informed The New York Instances. “It isn’t proper to say that the bottom is managed by China.”

Whereas the development at Ream continues to be underway, no overseas vessels can be allowed to dock there, Mr. Mey Dina stated. The overseas vessels which were docked there for greater than half a yr — the Chinese language corvettes — have been for “coaching solely,” he stated.

Energy Projection

China’s chief, Xi Jinping, has articulated a grand imaginative and prescient for his rising superpower. Chief amongst his army objectives: a blue-water navy that may undertaking Beijing’s would possibly removed from China’s shores.

Right now, China boasts the world’s largest navy when it comes to the variety of vessels. And it has added plane carriers to its fleet.

However navies of this dimension and scope, working hundreds of miles from house, want entry to bases overseas.

In 2017, after years of evasiveness about what was being constructed, China accomplished its first base on overseas soil, in Djibouti, within the Horn of Africa.

That very same yr, China put ending touches on a much more startling undertaking in disputed waters within the South China Sea.

Churning up coral and sand from the ocean flooring, state-owned dredgers created army installations on what had as soon as been placid atolls referred to as the Spratlys. A world tribunal has dominated that these specks of land will not be Chinese language territory.

The identical sort of state-owned dredgers are actually working in Ream. Out of reclaimed land, they’ve created a wharf and dry dock, every of which far surpasses the wants of the Cambodian fleet.

Nonetheless, not like the installations on the Spratlys, Ream doesn’t seem to have constructing websites reserved for missile launchers or fighter jet hangars. Ream could also be primarily supposed as a resupply station for the Chinese language navy, in keeping with satellite tv for pc analysts.

“Ream is extra like China enjoying roulette because it seems to be for ports for the blue water navy that Xi Jinping desires,” stated Gregory B. Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative on the Heart for Strategic and Worldwide Research. “I don’t suppose any Chinese language planner checked out all of the attainable areas all over the world and stated, ‘Ream is the one we’d like.’ It’s extra that Ream is without doubt one of the solely ones on supply as a result of China has no actual allies and few buddies.”

Business Beachheads

Even because the dredgers have been working extra time on the Spratlys, Mr. Xi stood on the White Home and swatted away fears that China’s new islands — which now bristle with fighter jet-ready runways, radar domes and warehouses made for missiles — have been for army functions. Chinese language officers stated they’d be havens for tourism.

China’s base constructing has relied on state-owned firms, that are legally obligated to pursue the nation’s nationwide safety pursuits, to make the preliminary forays. Chinese language officers are blunt in regards to the technique: “First civilian, then army,” is how they put it.

Establishing a industrial beachhead is simpler in international locations the place China already holds financial sway.

In recent times, Cambodia has steadily marched into China’s arms. Its longtime chief, Hun Sen, used to excoriate the US for linking its support and funding to enhancements within the nation’s human rights file.

Now, Cambodia is led by Mr. Hun Sen’s son, Hun Manet, who, though a graduate of the US Navy Academy, has proven little inclination up to now to recalibrate from his father’s pro-China bent.

Ream is 80 p.c completed, in keeping with its commander, Mr. Mey Dina. Navy analysts anticipate that the bottom can be full by the tip of the yr.

Not far-off, a Chinese language firm has carved out of once-protected jungle a runway lengthy sufficient to accommodate bombers, which Cambodia doesn’t have. The corporate says the airfield is basically supposed for Chinese language holiday-goers.

That’s harking back to the harmless explanations provided for the Chinese language development within the Spratlys and Djibouti, stated Mr. Ear, the political scientist.

“China downplays or misrepresents the army nature of its abroad installations,” he stated. “Regardless of Cambodia’s denials, the dearth of transparency and the shut relationship between Cambodia and China recommend the likelihood that Ream might observe this acquainted playbook.”