Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh on Saturday (June 11) defended his country’s building of the Ream naval base – which has attracted criticism for receiving funding from China – reiterating that it is not for China’s exclusive use.
Speaking at a plenary session during the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference, General Tea Banh said Cambodia is an independent and sovereign state that has the “full right to decide its destiny”, as stated in its Constitution.
“Unfortunately, Cambodia is constantly accused of giving exclusive rights to foreigners to use this space. I would like to emphasise that such groundless and problematic accusations are a complete insult to the authority and the governance of Cambodia,” he told the audience at the Shangri-La hotel.
