New Ream naval base not for Beijing's sole use: Cambodia, China

PHNOM PENH • Cambodia and Beijing have denied a report that they are building a naval facility for the Chinese fleet, amid concerns about China's growing influence.

The Washington Post, citing unnamed Western officials, said a new facility at Cambodia's Ream base - located on the Gulf of Thailand - was being built for the "exclusive" use of the Chinese navy.

The base has been a running sore spot in US-Cambodian relations for years, with Washington long suspecting it is being converted for use by China as it seeks to buttress its international influence with a network of military outposts.

American embassy spokesman Stephanie Arzate said the United States and other countries in the region had "expressed concern about the lack of transparency on the intent, nature and scope of this project", as well as China's role in its construction. "An exclusive PRC military presence at Ream could threaten Cambodia's autonomy and undermine regional security," she said.

Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhon rejected the report as "groundless accusations" in a call with Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

Earlier, a spokesman had said the base's development was "not a secret".

"Cambodia won't allow the Chinese military to use it exclusively or to develop the site as its military base," government spokesman Phay Siphan said.

Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh and Chinese ambassador Wang Wentian were on hand yesterday to see work start on the new facilities, including a boat maintenance workshop, two piers, a dry dock, slipway and sand dredging for bigger ships to dock.

Heavy construction machinery was visible at the site.

"It is not targeted at any third party and will be conducive to even closer practical cooperation between the two militaries, better fulfilment of international obligations and provision of international public goods," Mr Wang said.

The project, paid for with a Chinese grant, includes upgrading and expanding a hospital as well as donations of military equipment and repair of eight Cambodian warships, Mr Tea Banh said.

"There are allegations that the modernised Ream base will be used by the Chinese military exclusively. No, it is not like that at all," he told several hundred people including foreign diplomats at the ceremony. "Don't worry too much, the Ream base is very small... It won't pose a threat to anyone, anywhere."

The revamp will be completed in two years, another Cambodian official said.

But Australia's new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in Indonesia for a visit to shore up diplomatic ties to counter growing Chinese assertiveness in the region, labelled the reports "concerning".

"We encourage Beijing to be transparent about its intent and to ensure that its activities support regional security and stability," he told reporters, saying Cambodia had assured Canberra that no foreign military would be given exclusive access to the Ream base.

Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeatedly insisted the work is nothing more than modernising the base with a new boat maintenance facility developed with Chinese aid. "Cambodia doesn't need the presence of a foreign military on its territory," he said in a speech last month.

China also denied that the base would be solely for its navy's use.

"The transformation of Ream naval base is only to strengthen Cambodian naval forces' capabilities to uphold maritime territorial sovereignty and crack down on sea crimes," Foreign Ministry spokes-man Zhao Lijian told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday.

He said Washington's criticisms were "malicious conjectures to attack and smear" Cambodia.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE