China’s ostensibly expanding military appearance at Cambodia’s revamped Ream Naval Base is once more alarming Washington, a creation that was first revealed as a covert agreement two years after Phnom Penh canceled Angkor Sentinel military activities with US troops.
China’s military’s exposure to Cambodia’s port could give it a proper southern side in the South China Sea, which could be used in any conflict with the US, including Taiwan. Cambodia has consistently denied that it has allowed Chinese troops to place there entirely, which is against the law in the country’s constitution.
The most recent uproar over Cambodia comes as a result of America’s provocative deployment of a Existing missile system in the Philippines, which gives Manila the fresh capability to attack targets on the Chinese mainland in any conflict situation.
This quarter, BBC reported on Chinese naval ships being stationed at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, which raised questions in the US about China’s alleged expansion of military presence there. BBC says the two Model A56 ships, visible from telescope imagery, are docked at a new Chinese-built jetty alongside another Chinese-constructed services.
The Thai government claims that the foundation is for training and is, in fact, available to all pleasant navies. However, it claims that the US is cautious, citing China’s desire to become a global military power, including by leveraging Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI ) investments in ports and other infrastructure with dual military uses that might give China privileged access in a conflict scenario.
Addressing US problems, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol announced that the US Navy may be welcome to visit the Ream Naval Base once its rise, funded by China, is completed, Reuters reported.
Sun emphasized at a think tank celebration in Washington that China and any other foreign government are not permitted to use the base solely for Cambodia’s national protection. He assured that any military could use the harbor for charitable, disaster recovery or joint military activities.
The US has urged Cambodia to avoid any foreign state from having unique access to the center, while Chinese vessels have been training the Thai Navy there since December 2023, according to Reuters. Ream, which was earlier used for the US-Cambodia naval exercises, was shut down in 2020 due to its US-built service.
In a September 2024 article on Channel News Asia, it was stated that Cambodia benefits from improvements to the Ream Naval Base because it lacks the full military capacity to make use of them. BBC says while Ream does not considerably improve China’s energy projection, it may help in cleverness gathering.
Regarding the base’s impact on Cambodia’s sovereignty, according to BBC, a long-term Foreign presence at Ream may not be in violation of the country’s constitution because it is not fully leased to China and Chinese troops could operate there on a rotating base, similar to the US’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA ) with the Philippines.
In April 2023, Asia Times reported that China’s formation at Ream Naval Foundation has the ability to counteract, control, or possibly assume the presence of US naval forces near Singapore, which often accommodates the circular deployment of US Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
China may even make use of the Ream Naval Foundation and its current southern naval bases to circle Vietnam in the South China Sea, expanding the capability of Vietnam’s Navy and Maritime Law Enforcement organizations. In the South China Sea, China and Vietnam have a number of regional problems.  ,
Also, the , Ream Naval Base may help Chinese actions near Indonesia’s Natuna Islands. China has acknowledged Indonesia’s possession of the Natuna Islands, but it has claimed that the waters that surround them are part of its” standard fishing areas,” which causes conflict between the two countries.
Cambodia may interpret China’s presence at the Ream Naval Center as a shield from Thailand and Vietnam, two of its more powerful neighbors. In exchange for security guarantees and financial advantages, Cambodia does had backed China’s interests due to this circumstance.
China’s increased presence at Ream and Ream is a part of a larger tit-for-tat with the US, as both superpowers aim to bolster their positions in key areas that can act as forth operating outposts against one another in a conflict scenario.  ,
Asia Times reported in September 2024 that US-China tensions in the Pacific were considerably aggravated by the US’s endless implementation of the Mod weapon program in the Philippines.  ,
First brought in for joint exercises in April 2024, the Typhon program, which is capable of launching Tomahawk and Standard Missile-6 weapons with spectrum to reach mainland China, may be in the north Philippines, according to US and Philippine officials.
China has harshly criticized this move, which aims to bolster regional deterrence and has warned that the deployment will cause a regional war.
The deployment complies with the extended deterrence strategy and DMO concept, which disperses forces to improve survivability and lethality. However, the Philippines ‘ lack of air and missile defense assets could pose operational challenges, potentially requiring more US assets for protection.
The political landscape in the Philippines, marked by divisions between pro-US and pro-China factions, adds another layer of complexity, with future US defense initiatives potentially hanging in the balance as the , Philippines ‘ mid-term elections approach next year.
The US is n’t the only one involved in contentious, sensitive operations and deployments on the doorstep of its adversaries, despite the fact that the Philippines ‘ deployment of Typhon missiles may have confounded China.
Asia Times reported in July 2024 that China has significantly increased its intelligence-gathering capabilities by setting up multiple spy bases in Cuba.
These facilities, strategically located in Bejucal, El Salao, Wajay and Calabazar, are designed to monitor sensitive communications and activities along the US southeastern seaboard, which hosts numerous military bases and space launch centers.
The largest site, near Bejucal, has a Cold War history while the El Salao site features a large circularly disposed antenna array ( CDAA ) for enhanced surveillance. The Cuban outposts underscore China’s ambition to expand its global intelligence footprint, including near US shores.
The development has sparked concerns among US policymakers and regional partners regarding the long-term strategic implications, particularly in light of a potential US-China conflict over Taiwan.
Before any conflict, China may send military personnel to its Latin American partners, such as Cuba, to gather intelligence and support special operations.
These individuals have the potential to disrupt crucial US facilities, observe military operations, or even organize attacks against the US mainland. In addition, China might employ its personnel to trigger regional crises that might affect the US, such as scuffle supply chains or incite political unrest in US partner nations before an attack on Taiwan.