A US warship docked in Cambodia on Monday for the first time in eight years, just a few kilometers from a naval base renovated by China.
AFP journalists saw members of the Cambodian navy welcoming the arrival of the USS Savannah in the southern port city of Sihanoukville on Monday.
Announcing the visit on Friday, the Cambodian Defense Ministry said it aimed to “strengthen and develop friendship” and “promote bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and the United States.”
Relations between Washington and Phnom Penh have been deteriorating for years, while China pumped billions of dollars into infrastructure projects under former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.
Since 2022, China has been financing the renovation of the Ream naval base, located some 30 kilometers from Sihanoukville and originally built in part with American funds.
For Washington, Ream could provide Beijing with a strategic position in the Gulf of Thailand near the South China Sea, widely claimed by Beijing.
But Cambodian authorities have steadfastly denied that the base is being used by a foreign force.
The U.S. Embassy posted a statement on social media Monday, saying the warship was on a “goodwill visit” aimed at “strengthening U.S.-Cambodia coordination and response to challenges common maritime security issues.
Beijing, through a spokesperson for its Foreign Ministry, also reacted by stating that “such security and defense exchanges and collaborations should contribute to promoting regional peace and stability, rather than the reverse.”
The first Chinese warships docked at the base in December 2023. The following May, two more docked at the port of Sihanoukville during the largest military maneuvers ever organized between China and Cambodia.
According to the Cambodian Defense Ministry, 27 U.S. warships have docked in the country since 2007, but Monday's visit is the first in eight years.
The 103 American crew members will meet the commander of the Ream base and carry out activities to “enhance cultural exchange and cooperation,” the ministry adds.
American Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Cambodia in June to relaunch relations with this close ally of China.
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