Two Japanese minesweepers have become the first foreign military vessels to dock at Cambodia’s China-funded Ream Naval Base since its expansion – a move that is likely aimed at showing the facility is not “exclusively” for Beijing’s use amid continued scepticism over Chinese military access.
The visit by the Bungo and Etajima, both part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, began on Saturday and lasted for four days, bringing 170 sailors to the recently upgraded facility on the Gulf of Thailand.
Analysts said the port call was a symbolic but strategic signal from Phnom Penh that it retained control over the naval base, which had been at the centre of US concerns about China’s growing military footprint in Southeast Asia.
According to Shin Kawashima, an international relations professor at the University of Tokyo, Cambodia wants to emphasise that Ream will not become exclusively for the Chinese navy, and that sovereignty over the base remains with the kingdom.
He noted that the key test would be how often warships from other countries used the base and whether they were outnumbered by Chinese vessels. “If Chinese ships regularly outnumber foreign vessels by a significant margin, the claim that the port is ‘open’ would likely be met with scepticism from neighbouring countries,” Kawashima said.
Concerns over China’s role at Ream Naval Base surfaced in 2019, following reports of a draft agreement that would grant Beijing a 30-year lease allowing for the stationing of military personnel, weapons storage and warship access. Cambodia has denied the claims, but the United States has repeatedly voiced alarm over the issue.
The Japanese port call comes on the heels of a major expansion at Ream, widely believed to have been funded by China. Phnom Penh maintains that the base remains open to all “friendly countries” and has pointed to the Japanese visit as proof of its commitment to a non-exclusive policy.
