The US government on Wednesday sanctioned Cambodian officials for alleged graft at the Southeast Asian nation’s largest naval base, where the demolition of structures funded by Washington has drawn criticism from US officials concerned about China’s access to the facility.
Chau Phirun, director general of the defence ministry’s material and technical services department, “conspired to profit from activities regarding the construction and updating of Ream Naval Base facilities”, the Treasury Department announced.
Chau, Royal Cambodian Navy Commander Tea Vinh and other government officials “likely conspired to inflate the cost of facilities at [the base] and personally benefit from the proceeds”, it added.
