Cambodia said last month that the Chinese-funded naval base at Ream on the Gulf of Thailand would be open for visits by all foreign navies once it’s completed. Amid reports that China is establishing a permanent presence at the base near the disputed waters of the South China Sea, a senior Phnom Penh official said the facility in Sihanoukville province would be open to all navies for “humanitarian and disaster recovery, or joint military exercise,” the official said. Deep Chinese involvement in the expansion of Ream Naval Base has alarmed the U.S. and some of Cambodia’s neighbors.
