Chinese language army personnel head to a subject to take part within the Golden Dragon army train in Svay Chok village, Kampong Chhnang province, north of Phnom Penh Cambodia, Thursday, Could 16, 2024. Cambodia and China on Thursday kicked off their annual Golden Dragon army train to strengthen cooperation and trade army experiences. Related Press
SVAY CHOK, Cambodia — Cambodia and China started 15-day army workout routines on Thursday as questions develop about Beijing’s rising affect within the Southeast Asian nation.
About 1,315 Cambodian army personnel and 760 Chinese language are taking part within the common “Golden Dragon” floor and sea maneuvers, together with three Chinese language and 11 Cambodian ships.
As the primary stage of the workout routines received underway at a Cambodian army base with a forested and mountainous coaching space about 90 kilometers (55 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodian military commander in chief Gen. Vong Pisen thanked China for offering new tools and serving to to improve army amenities, together with the Ream Naval Base.
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The USA and others have apprehensive that China’s involvement in constructing a brand new pier on the Ream base might result in it changing into a brand new outpost for the Chinese language navy at a strategically necessary location on the Gulf of Thailand. Because the Golden Dragon workout routines started, two Chinese language warships had been docked on the pier for greater than 5 months, stoking these issues.
Cambodia has insisted, nonetheless, that its structure prohibits the deployment of international army forces on its territory, and the Protection Ministry stated the 2 Chinese language corvettes had been simply “testing” the pier and had been readily available to take part within the Golden Dragon workout routines, whose second section will embrace maritime maneuvers close to the Ream base.
Vong Pisen, talking alongside Adm. Gao Xiucheng from the Chinese language army’s Southern Theater Command, underscored Cambodia’s official place, saying the nation would “not enable any international army base on our territory.”
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On the identical time, he acknowledged China’s contribution to serving to Cambodia improve its army capabilities and stated the workout routines would assist construct deeper cooperation and belief between the forces of the 2 international locations.
The 2 army officers inspected troops and an array of armored preventing autos, artillery and different tools forward of the beginning of the maneuvers.
The Golden Dragon workout routines have been held regularly since 2016, across the identical time that Cambodia canceled comparable workout routines with america generally known as Angkor Sentinel.
Cambodia is China’s closest ally in Southeast Asia, whereas China is Cambodia’s most necessary ally and benefactor, with a robust affect on its financial system.
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Past army tasks, China funds quite a few others in Cambodia — notably infrastructure, together with airports and roads, but in addition personal tasks corresponding to lodges, casinos and property growth. Greater than 40% of Cambodia’s $10 billion in international debt is owed to China.