The United States is ringing alarm bells over the involvement of China in improving and expanding Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville.
Beijing has dismissed allegations it’s constructing its own base in the area and reiterated it is investing money in support of Phom Phen’s Navy – despite the sighting of an increasing number of Chinese ships in the area over recent months.
But Daniel Kritenbrink, a top aide to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, confronted Cambodian officials this week to express regional concerns about China funding the building works.
Kritenbrink, assistant US secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to hold a “very productive, very positive and very candid” meeting as part of his recent tour of Southeast Asia.
Following the meeting, he said: “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.
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The People’s Republic of China (PRC) exacerbated concerns further this week after a senior naval officer hinted that the country could soon start working on its fourth aircraft carrier.
Admiral Yuan Huazhi told the state-owned Hong Kong Commercial Daily the new carrier would add to China’s security measures to protect its interests and assets.
Admiral Yuan said: “China’s aircraft carrier is not just built to compete with the United States, but to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and protect the country’s rights and interests.”
President Xi Jinping has been investing millions to build up China’s amphibious capability as part of his plan to turn the PRC into a major “blue-water” force, capable of projecting its power well beyond its sovereign waters.
