Jakarta – The construction of a Chinese military base in Cambodia would allow the burgeoning superpower to project military power deep into south-east Asia and have direct implications for Australia, according to security experts.
Chinese defence officials and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen have derided as false a report that the two countries have signed a secret deal that would allow China to use the Ream Naval base, near the coastal city of Sihanoukville, to station troops, store weapons and berth ships.
The Wall Street Journal report cited US officials, who had seen an early draft of the agreement, which they said would allow China to use the base for 30 years.
