PHNOM PENH [Cambodia], US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has begun a visit to Cambodia to meet with the country's prime minister and defense minister, a sign of growing apprehension in Washington over China's growing influence in the region, CNN reported. .
According to CNN, Austin's visit to the Cambodian capital on Tuesday is his second visit to the Southeast Asian country as defense secretary, but it is the first time that the United States defense chief has held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, the Defense Secretary. Have traveled to Cambodia especially for. Minister Chai Seha.
Defense officials said the outreach reflects America's desire to build better relations with Cambodia, especially as Beijing's influence over the country has continued to grow in recent years.
A senior defense official told reporters, referring to the Cambodian prime minister, "We believe there is potentially an opportunity with the leadership change in Cambodia that we can sit down and talk about where our future lies." How can relationships be more positive and optimistic." Minister Hun Manet, who took office last year after nearly four decades of rule by his father Hun Sen.“This is not a journey that is about significant deliverables and achievements.”
However, behind the diplomatic outreach are clear concerns about China's growing presence at Cambodia's Ream Naval Base. Austin expressed US concerns about China's funding and operations at the base, located near the strategically located South China Sea. China's deployment of warships in December set off alarm bells in Washington, despite claims by Cambodian officials that the base would not serve as a foreign naval facility.
China's assertive claims over the vast expanse of the South China Sea have drawn sharp criticism from the US and its Indo-Pacific allies.Recent incidents, including attacks on Philippine ships and military exercises near Taiwan, underscore Beijing's coercive strategy, raising US concerns over the possibility of China establishing a military outpost near vital waterways, CNN reports. .
Amid China's confirmation of military cooperation with Cambodia, relations between Washington and Phnom Penh have been strained. Cambodia's cancellation of military exercises with the US in 2017 and the demolition of a US-built facility in Ream in 2020 reflect these tensions. Additionally, the Biden administration's imposition of sanctions on Cambodian individuals in response to flawed elections last year further strained bilateral relations.
Austin's meetings in Phnom Penh were aimed at revitalizing US-Cambodia defense cooperation, focusing on areas such as disaster assistance, UN peacekeeping and military education exchanges.The discussions underlined mutual interests in strengthening regional peace and security while addressing the complexities of China's aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific.
Austin's Cambodia visit concludes an extensive Asian tour, during which he participated in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. At the forum, he warned over China's coercive activities in the region and stressed the importance of deepening ties with key Asian partners to counter Beijing's assertiveness.
In a meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, Austin underlined the US commitment to maintaining open military channels to reduce misunderstandings and prevent tensions from escalating. However, as a senior US official noted, Dong's subsequent speech condemned outside interference and highlighted Beijing's perceived power, in contrast to China's coercive activities across the region.
According to CNN, Austin's visit to the Cambodian capital on Tuesday is his second visit to the Southeast Asian country as defense secretary, but it is the first time that the United States defense chief has held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, the Defense Secretary. Have traveled to Cambodia especially for. Minister Chai Seha.
Defense officials said the outreach reflects America's desire to build better relations with Cambodia, especially as Beijing's influence over the country has continued to grow in recent years.
A senior defense official told reporters, referring to the Cambodian prime minister, "We believe there is potentially an opportunity with the leadership change in Cambodia that we can sit down and talk about where our future lies." How can relationships be more positive and optimistic." Minister Hun Manet, who took office last year after nearly four decades of rule by his father Hun Sen.“This is not a journey that is about significant deliverables and achievements.”
However, behind the diplomatic outreach are clear concerns about China's growing presence at Cambodia's Ream Naval Base. Austin expressed US concerns about China's funding and operations at the base, located near the strategically located South China Sea. China's deployment of warships in December set off alarm bells in Washington, despite claims by Cambodian officials that the base would not serve as a foreign naval facility.
China's assertive claims over the vast expanse of the South China Sea have drawn sharp criticism from the US and its Indo-Pacific allies.Recent incidents, including attacks on Philippine ships and military exercises near Taiwan, underscore Beijing's coercive strategy, raising US concerns over the possibility of China establishing a military outpost near vital waterways, CNN reports. .
Amid China's confirmation of military cooperation with Cambodia, relations between Washington and Phnom Penh have been strained. Cambodia's cancellation of military exercises with the US in 2017 and the demolition of a US-built facility in Ream in 2020 reflect these tensions. Additionally, the Biden administration's imposition of sanctions on Cambodian individuals in response to flawed elections last year further strained bilateral relations.
Austin's meetings in Phnom Penh were aimed at revitalizing US-Cambodia defense cooperation, focusing on areas such as disaster assistance, UN peacekeeping and military education exchanges.The discussions underlined mutual interests in strengthening regional peace and security while addressing the complexities of China's aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific.
Austin's Cambodia visit concludes an extensive Asian tour, during which he participated in the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. At the forum, he warned over China's coercive activities in the region and stressed the importance of deepening ties with key Asian partners to counter Beijing's assertiveness.
In a meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, Austin underlined the US commitment to maintaining open military channels to reduce misunderstandings and prevent tensions from escalating. However, as a senior US official noted, Dong's subsequent speech condemned outside interference and highlighted Beijing's perceived power, in contrast to China's coercive activities across the region.
