Chinese warships permanently deployed to new overseas naval base

Chinese warships are now permanently deployed to Cambodia's Ream naval base, a leading expert has said. News week.

The base returned to the spotlight after the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released new satellite images on April 18 showing two People's Liberation Army (PLA) ships still docked at the dock.

“Satellite images clearly indicate that the two ships never left – the two intervals when they were not at the dock are short enough that it seems far more likely that they were engaged in brief exercises at sea , not that they came home and were replaced by other ships,” said Gregory Poling of CSIS, a senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank.

“In this case, the most likely explanation for this more than five month deployment alongside other developments – the construction which appears to be aimed at housing Chinese personnel and the 2019 memorandum of understanding granting exclusive access to the China – is that a permanent Chinese military presence has begun. , and we will likely see military ships rotating to Ream for long stays. »

The Chinese ships were first showcased in Ream in December last year in a Facebook post by Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seiha, which was also reported by Radio Free Asia.

In June 2022, the Washington Post was the first to report on China's assistance to Cambodia in building an exclusive naval base in the northern part of Ream. Following The post officeAccording to the report, Cambodia had confirmed receiving aid from China to help build Phnom Penh's naval capacity.

“China's collaboration in training our Cambodian navy demonstrates the strong and enduring friendship between our two nations. We are confident that this training program will further strengthen our naval capabilities and contribute to regional stability,” Seiha said in December last year.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has sought to build a deep-sea navy, potentially backed by a network of global naval bases to accommodate Beijing's warships.

News week contacted the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the US Department of State for comment via email.

The first Chinese naval base – and so far the only confirmed one – is located in the Horn of Africa, in Djibouti, where the PLA is permanently deployed. These signs suggest that China's permanent military presence could follow as the base's infrastructure nears completion.

In March, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) said in its annual assessment that China has growing military ambitions, including new naval bases to support Beijing's growing presence on the high seas.

“Beyond developing its military base in Djibouti and its military facilities at the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia, Beijing is reportedly considering building military facilities in several locations, including, but not limited to, Burma. [Myanmar]Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates,” ODNI said in its annual report published on March 11.

Earlier in January, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet attempted to address concerns about China's naval presence, widely reported by international media.

“I would like to reiterate that Ream Naval Base is often mentioned in newspapers. Article 53 of our Constitution clearly states that Cambodia does not allow foreign military bases on its territory, and Cambodian troops have not also no bases in any territory except under United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions, he said on January 25.

However, the latest CSIS analysis shows that other foreign military vessels are not allowed to dock at Ream.

“While then-Prime Minister Hun Sen claimed that the base's upgraded facilities would be open for visits by all navies, two Japanese destroyers that called in February were transported to the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port rather than toward Ream, Cambodian boats at Ream continued to congregate at the base's older, smaller dock to the south,” CSIS said in its April 18 report.

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In February, Tom Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submariner and defense analyst, shared his thoughts on satellite images that showed substantial progress in construction over a short period of time at Ream.

“This is the northern part of the base, compared to a little over a year ago (December 2022). Many new buildings have been constructed, with what look like streets and foundations indicating that others are coming,” Shugart wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The United States has repeatedly expressed concerns about growing signs of Chinese naval presence in Ream.

“While we have no comment on this specific development, we are seriously concerned about the People's Republic of China's plans to exclusively control portions of Ream Naval Base,” a Department of Defense spokesperson said. Status on December 6.

In November 2022, China's Foreign Ministry described assistance with the modernization of the Ream naval base as normal activity, while downplaying concerns over military cooperation with Phnom Penh.