China’s naval base handover in Cambodia: a sign of waning US influence?

China’s handover of a naval base in Cambodia to Phnom Penh early next year following a revamp is symbolic of the “slow erosion” of US geopolitical dominance in Southeast Asia, according to analysts.

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• Conversations: Ream Naval Base – China’s foothold in Cambodia?

The timeline for the Ream Naval Base’s redevelopment was confirmed by Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute’s Southeast Asia programme, who shared the details with This Week in Asia after speaking to Cambodian officials.

The base in Sihanoukville province was originally scheduled to have been handed over in September this year, according to a report by Radio Free Asia in August.

In full: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3290235/chinas-naval-base-handover-cambodia-sign-waning-us-influence