By Peng Nian

Recently, the President of the Senate of Cambodia and former Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that Japan would be granted authorization to access the Ream Naval Base and extended an invitation for Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) vessels to make a port call there. Prior to this, the US littoral combat ship USS Savannah (LCS-28) had just departed from Sihanoukville Port, which is located approximately 30 kilometers from the Ream Naval Base. The concrete actions and clear statements of Cambodia have effectively dispelled rumors spread by the US and some Western countries about China allegedly building a military base in Ream.

As early as 2019, US officials leaked to American media that Cambodia and China had signed a secret agreement to allow China to use Ream as a military base. In January 2020, the US dispatched a defense attaché from its embassy in Cambodia to investigate the situation at the Ream Naval Base but found nothing. Since October last year, the US has started a new round of hype after Chinese warships were photographed docked at the Ream Naval Base.

It is worth noting that given the close ties between Japan and the US, particularly their close cooperation in military intelligence, the permission of JSDF vessels to visit the Ream Base by Cambodia ensures that the US will inevitably learn about the true situation at the Ream Naval Base from Japan. This reflects Cambodia's well-intentioned effort and possibly a move made out of necessity.

China has always adhered to the fundamental diplomatic principles of respecting the sovereignty of other countries and non-interference in their internal affairs. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has also pointed out that Cambodia's constitution does not permit foreign military bases on Cambodian soil. For a long time, China's defense and security cooperation with ASEAN countries has been built on the principles of mutual respect, equality, and mutually beneficial cooperation. China has neither coerced ASEAN countries into participating in defense and security cooperation, nor has it concealed such collaborations or aimed at third countries, including the US. ASEAN countries have not raised any warnings or grievances regarding their defense and security cooperation with China.

In contrast, the US has been pressing Cambodia step by step on the issue of the Ream Naval Base. It has employed not only diplomatic coercion but also sanctions against Cambodian officials, which is a clear example of bullying behavior. No wonder some ASEAN countries are growing increasingly dissatisfied with the US's meddling and its efforts to stir up regional tensions. And this dissatisfaction is increasingly turning into a liability for the US in Southeast Asia, as it appears to be losing the trust of the region. In April 2024, the ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute released the State of Southeast Asia: 2024 Survey Report. It revealed that for the first time, the proportion of respondents from ASEAN countries who prefer cooperation with China over the US exceeded those who chose the US when given the option between the two.

In fact, in addition to the Ream Naval Base, the US has frequently hyped up China's so-called construction of military facilities or military bases in important ports such as Myanmar's Kyaukpyu Port, Sri Lanka's Hambantota Port, and Pakistan's Gwadar Port, deliberately exaggerating the so-called expansion of China's overseas military influence. The Ream Naval Base is just a cover used by the US to create regional security conflicts and expand its regional military influence. If the US continues to disrupt normal cooperation between China and other countries with this meddling mindset, the outcome will only backfire, leading to growing resentment from other nations.

(The author is a PhD Supervisor and a researcher at the Regional and Country Studies Center of South China University of Technology.)

Editor's note: Originally published on huanqiu.com, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.