TAIPIEI, TAIWAN – Japan said two of its mine flirtators will visit a naval port in Cambodia this weekend during the first visit to the navy since an upgrade funded by China.
Ream’s naval base was officially inaugurated earlier this month, with a new pier capable of managing much larger ships, a dry quay for repairs and other improved installations. China’s involvement in the project has raised concerns among rival powers, which fear that Beijing can use the base as a strategic foot.
While noting concerns about the growing growth of China to secure military outposts abroad, Japanese Minister of Defense, Gen Nakatani, said that the port of port by Japanese ships – the Bungo and the Etajima – will help Cambodia have an open and transparent naval port.
“It will contribute to the continuation of the opening of the port and it is important to reach stability and peace in the region,” said Nakatani on Tuesday, adding that the visit “symbolizes friendship and closer security cooperation” between Japan and Cambodia.
The two ships left Japan in January and are currently on a four-month mission which includes multinational exercises in Indo-Pacific and the Middle East. The ships should stay at the Cambodian port from April 19 to 22.
In recent years, Japan has strengthened its links with Cambodia in order to counterbalance the growing influence of China in the region. Cambodia invited Japan to pass the first port of port on the upgraded site.
The Cambodian government has declared that it has priority to Japanese warships in tribute to the “high level of opening of cooperation, relations and mutual trust between the two parties”.
China and Cambodia began working on the redevelopment of the Ream naval base in June 2021, the project widely funded by Beijing.
However, real construction did not start immediately. It was not until June 2022 that an official inauguration ceremony took place, marking the start of the project.
The ceremony brought together Cambodian and high -ranking Cambodian and Chinese officials, stressing the strategic importance of development for the two countries.
The redevelopment plan included in -depth upgrades to existing installations and the addition of new infrastructures, such as a pier capable of accommodating larger warships, a dry quay for repairs to ships and broadcast logistics and operational support structures.
Satellite imagery in the following months has shown rapid construction progress, fueling speculation – especially from Western governments – that the base could accommodate Chinese naval forces in the future.
Last year, two Chinese warships were moored at the port for several months while the upgrade was underway.
While Phnom Penh and Beijing denied that China would be granted exclusive military access to the base, US officials have expressed repeated concerns. They declared that development lacked transparency and could point out the creation of a permanent Chinese military presence in the Gulf of Thailand, a strategic maritime gateway to the Southern China Sea.
Edited by Stephen Wright.