US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traveled to Cambodia on Tuesday to meet with the country’s prime minister and defense minister, as Washington becomes increasingly concerned that Phnom Penh may grant China’s military exclusive access to a key naval base.
RELATED
- US Defense Secretary discusses military exchanges in visit to China ally Cambodia
- US defense secretary meets Cambodia’s top officials to push for stronger ties
- US defence chief visits Cambodia to boost ties with China ally
Austin’s trip to the Cambodian capital marks his second visit to the Southeast Asian country as Secretary of Defense but is the first time a United States defense chief has traveled to Cambodia specifically to hold a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, Defense Minister Tea Seiha.
The outreach reflects the US’ desire to forge a better relationship with Cambodia, defense officials said, particularly as Beijing’s influence over the country has only continued to grow in recent years.
In full: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/04/asia/cambodia-lloyd-austin-china-intl-hnk/index.html
