How China Rebuilt a Cambodian Naval Base

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

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

Then the Chinese language started working.

Since December, two Chinese language warships have docked practically daily on the quickly increasing port. And the work going down at Ream is in step with a Chinese language constructing spree that ranges from close to the Purple Sea to the South China Sea.

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

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

The Lengthy Go to

On Dec. 3, 2023, Cambodia’s protection minister introduced that two Chinese language Navy corvettes had been visiting Ream for a joint navy 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 had been denied full entry.

“We’re clear eyed concerning the Individuals’s Republic of China’s efforts to determine abroad navy bases, together with at Ream,” mentioned John Supple, a Pentagon spokesman. “We’re notably involved concerning the Individuals’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 help their pursuits and regional safety.”

The Cambodians deny any better Chinese language intent.

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

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

Whereas the development at Ream remains to be underway, no overseas vessels will likely be allowed to dock there, Mr. Mey Dina mentioned. The overseas vessels which have been docked there for greater than half a 12 months — the Chinese language corvettes — had been for “coaching solely,” he mentioned.

Energy Projection

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

Right this moment, China boasts the world’s largest navy by way of the variety of vessels. And it has added plane carriers to its fleet.

However navies of this dimension and scope, working 1000’s 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 12 months, China put ending touches on a much more startling venture in disputed waters within the South China Sea.

Churning up coral and sand from the ocean flooring, state-owned dredgers created navy 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 should not Chinese language territory.

The identical form 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, in contrast to 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 response to 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 needs,” mentioned 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 potential areas all over the world and mentioned, ‘Ream is the one we want.’ It’s extra that Ream is among the solely ones on supply as a result of China has no actual allies and few mates.”

Business Beachheads

Even because the dredgers had been working additional 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 — had been for navy functions. Chinese language officers mentioned they might be havens for tourism.

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

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

Lately, Cambodia has steadily marched into China’s arms. Its longtime chief, Hun Sen, used to excoriate the USA for linking its help and funding to enhancements within the nation’s human rights document.

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

Ream is 80 p.c completed, in response to its commander, Mr. Mey Dina. Army analysts count on that the bottom will likely be full by the tip of the 12 months.

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 supplied for the Chinese language building within the Spratlys and Djibouti, mentioned Mr. Ear, the political scientist.

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