Highlights
- China is developing Cambodia’s Reem Naval Base for military use
- America also expressed concern about the Chinese naval base in Cambodia
- China’s Reem Naval Base is very close to India’s Andaman and Nicobar
According to the report of Nikkei Asia, Chinese companies are deepening the sea area near the Reem Naval Base. This is expected to give a major edge to the Chinese Navy in East Asia. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on Saturday released a satellite image of the Reem Naval Base taken on January 16. These photos show two clamshell dredgers on the banks of the Rime, with a barge used to collect sand from the sea.
Ships were also seen in the picture of Cambodian Defense Minister
The ships were also visible in a photo uploaded to Facebook of Cambodian National Defense Minister Chai Ban, who visited the site in the Gulf of Thailand on January 18 this year. China is funding the development of the Reem naval base. This includes expansion of the port and development of a ship repair facility. On the other hand, the US has expressed concern that China may use this naval base to meet military needs.
China and Cambodia signed an agreement in 2019
According to the Wall Street Journal report, in 2019 Cambodia and China signed an agreement on the Reem Naval Base. In this, China was allowed to use the Reem naval base for the next 30 years. In June last year, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman sought an explanation from Cambodia for the demolition of two US facilities in Reem without prior notice. He expressed serious concern about China’s alleged military presence at the Cambodian naval base. Cambodian Defense Minister Ti Ban responded by emphasizing that he was not making any strings but his country’s relationship with China was natural.
Cambodia intercepts US military attache at base
In June itself, there was a diplomatic dispute between the US and Cambodia. Indeed, US Defense Attache Colonel Marcus M Ferrara accompanied Cambodian officials to the Riem Naval Base following news of the Chinese presence and the downing of American construction, but was denied full access to the inside, forcing him to shorten his visit. They wanted to see the entire base, but the Cambodian authorities refused them.
China has invested 10 billion dollars in Cambodia
China has been investing heavily since 2017 with the intention of capturing Cambodia. At present, China has invested about $10 billion in Cambodia. A poor country like Cambodia has failed to repay such a huge amount. Because of this, he has mortgaged the Reem Naval Base, obeying China. At the same time, China, as before, is denying that it has acquired this port from Cambodia after being trapped in a debt trap.