Preparations are underway for a China-backed expansion at Cambodia Ream Naval Base, a facility the U.S. fears will be transformed to host Chinese military assets.
A top Royal Cambodian Navy official told Nikkei Asia on Saturday that the Chinese government was supporting a project to expand the port and develop a ship repair facility at the base on the Gulf of Thailand.
Vann Bunlieng, a three-star vice-admiral, deputy commander and chief of the navy general staff, said the plans include dredging work to deepen the waters surrounding the base, which can currently only accommodate smaller vessels.
