SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (AP) — Two Chinese language warships docked Sunday at a business port in Cambodia, in preparation for joint naval workout routines between the 2 international locations.
The Jingangshan amphibious battle send and Qijiguang coaching send sailed in to the Sihanoukville Port as onlookers waved Cambodian and Chinese language flags from the piers.
The port is north of the Ream Naval Base, the place China has funded a huge growth challenge that has been sparsely watched via the USA and others over issues it might develop into a brand new outpost for the Chinese language army at the Gulf of Thailand.
The Gulf is adjoining to the South China Sea, which China claims just about in its entirety, and would give simple get admission to to the Malacca Strait, probably the most essential transport lanes on the planet.
Wang Wentian, China’s ambassador to Cambodia, pushed aside issues about Ream, telling newshounds at Sihanoukville that anywhere the Chinese language army sails “we convey friendship, we convey cooperation” and not anything else.
“The cooperation between the 2 armies, between China and Cambodia, is conducive to the protection of each international locations and the protection of the area,” he mentioned, status at the pier.
The Jingangshan and the Qijiguang are because of participate in naval workout routines from the Ream base from Would possibly 24-27, along side two Chinese language corvettes which were docked at Ream’s new pier for greater than 5 months.
The joint coaching is the naval part of the continuing Golden Dragon workout routines, that are ceaselessly held between the 2 international locations.
Controversy over Ream Naval Base first of all arose in 2019 when The Wall Boulevard Magazine reported that an early draft of a reputed settlement noticed via U.S. officers would permit China 30-year use of the bottom, the place it will be capable of publish army team of workers, retailer guns and berth warships.
Cambodia’s then-High Minister Hun Sen denied there was once such an settlement. He identified that Cambodia’s charter does now not permit international army bases to be established on its soil, however mentioned visiting ships from all countries are welcome.
Because the Golden Dragon workout routines opened on Would possibly 16, Cambodian military Commander in Leader Gen. Vong Pisen thanked China for offering new apparatus and serving to to improve army amenities, together with the Ream Naval Base.
On the similar time, he underscored Cambodia’s legitimate place, pronouncing the rustic would “now not permit any international army base on our territory.”
apnews.com
