The development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base has caused concern in the United States and elsewhere regarding its potential to become a Chinese military outpost. This concern is set to grow as the Chinese-supported upgrade of the base nears completion at the end of 2024. There can be little doubt that China is reinforcing its military presence and influence in Southeast Asia. Yet Western partners have often raised their concerns with Phnom Penh in a counterproductive way, failing to understand the factors motivating Cambodia to seek deeper defence ties with China.
By understanding Cambodia’s threat perceptions and the influence of the kingdom’s domestic politics on its defence and foreign policies, Western partners will be better able to balance China’s influence in Cambodia. This paper analyses the factors leading Cambodia to seek closer defence relations with China, and specifically China’s assistance to modernise Ream Naval Base, along with the access rights that may entail. Its findings are based on fieldwork and interviews conducted by the author in Cambodia and with officials from neighbouring countries in 2024.
