US Worried About China-Funded Naval Base

The U.S. has expressed serious concerns over China’s involvement in constructing the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia’s Sihanoukville.

“The United States and a number of countries in the region have expressed serious concerns about the intent, the nature, and the scope of construction at Ream Naval Base as well as the role that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) military is playing in this process and in the future use of the facility,” said Daniel Kritenbrink, an assistant U.S. secretary of state, in a digital press briefing on Thursday.

Kritenbrink, assistant U.S. secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, communicated these apprehensions to Cambodian officials during his recent visit to Phnom Penh. This discussion formed part of his wider tour across Southeast Asia, which included Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Brunei.

Kritenbrink described his meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet as “very productive, very positive and very candid,” highlighting a constructive yet straightforward dialogue. Even amid this positive exchange, Kritenbrink did not hesitate to address Washington’s looming concerns regarding the expansion at the Ream naval base, now under Chinese funding.

“Ream was one of many topics that we discussed, but again, I underscored – whether it was related to Ream or a range of other issues—again, America’s approach to the region is to ensure that our partners continue to have choice and that partners continue to be able to preserve their own sovereignty,” Kritenbrink said in the briefing.

Kritenbrink’s pointed expression of concern comes after Chinese naval vessels were spotted at Ream Naval Base, further shedding light on military cooperation between Beijing and Phnom Penh.

Newsweek has contacted China’s Embassy in Washington for comment.

The presence of Chinese warships at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, as reported by Newsweek on December 7 last year, signals a deepening of military ties between Cambodia and China, marking a significant shift in the strategic landscape of Southeast Asia.

“Although the exact number of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) naval ships present at Ream and the duration of the training remains undisclosed, at least two boats were visible in the photos shared by Seiha,” the Khmer Times reported on December 7.

The U.S. State Department has kept a keen eye on these developments. A spokesperson for the department said in December: “While we have no comment on this specific development, we have serious concerns about the PRC’s plans for exclusive control over portions of Ream Naval Base.”

Meanwhile, Cambodian Minister of Defense Tea Seiha had said that Chinese naval vessels were in the country to train soldiers.

“China’s collaboration in training our Cambodian Navy is a testament to the strong and enduring friendship between our two nations. We are confident that this training program will further enhance our naval capabilities and contribute to regional stability,” Seiha said in a statement.

Amid speculations and satellite observations, the conversation around the Ream Naval Base’s upgrade and its implications has grown.

Tom Shugart, a defense analyst and former U.S. Navy submariner, has brought to light the new infrastructure coming up at Ream. Shugart shared satellite images from Planet Labs on X (formerly Twitter), illustrating the construction progress at Ream. “The imagery, dated January 15, shows significant construction activity at the site, marking a notable advancement in China’s efforts to establish a more pronounced naval presence in Southeast Asia,” Shugart said.

The discourse around the naval base has been fraught with concerns about a potential Chinese military outpost on Cambodian soil, despite China’s assurances to the contrary. Manet has sought to clarify Cambodia’s engagement with China.

“I would like to reiterate that the Ream Naval Base is often mentioned in the newspaper. Article 53 of our Constitution makes it clear that Cambodia does not allow foreign military bases on its territory, and Cambodian troops also have no base on any territory except under the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions,” Manet said on January 25.

China’s Foreign Ministry has reiterated that its involvement in upgrading the Ream Naval Base is aimed at bolstering the Cambodian Navy’s capability to defend its maritime territorial integrity, denying allegations of establishing a military base.