China helps upgrade Cambodian naval base, as nations dismiss Western fears about Beijing’s plans

South China Morning Post published this video item, entitled “China helps upgrade Cambodian naval base, as nations dismiss Western fears about Beijing’s plans” – below is their description.

Cambodia and China held a ceremony on June 8, 2022, marking the start of a new Beijing-funded project to upgrade the Ream Naval Base in the Southeast Asian country. Phnom Penh and Beijing have dismissed concerns that the upgrade project would lead to the presence of Chinese military at the base. The US has long expressed concerns that China would use the strategically located base, situated on the Gulf of Thailand, as a military outpost. The Washington Post had reported on June 6, that China was “secretly building a naval facility in Cambodia for the exclusive use of its military”, citing unnamed Western officials. Australia’s new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also voiced concerns about Chinese presence on the Ream base, describing Cambodia’s reported arrangement with China as “concerning”.
Related story:
Chinese help for Cambodian naval base has ‘nothing to do’ with PLA https://sc.mp/8o8h
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In This Story: Cambodia

Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 square miles) in area, bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.

The sovereign state of Cambodia has a population of over 15 million. Buddhism is enshrined in the constitution as the official state religion, and is practised by more than 97% of the population. Cambodia’s minority groups include Vietnamese, Chinese, Chams and 30 hill tribes.

The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh. The kingdom is an elective constitutional monarchy with a monarch chosen by the Royal Council of the Throne as head of state. The head of government is the Prime Minister.

Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953. The United Nations designates Cambodia as a least developed country.