For the first time in eight years, a US Navy warship will visit Cambodia, a very “close ally” of China, according to an official statement from the Cambodian Ministry of Defense.
The littoral combat ship USS Savannah, carrying a crew of 103, will be in port at Sihanoukville Port in the Gulf of Thailand from December 16th to 20th.
The Cambodian government said the visit, initiated at the request of the United States, was aimed at “strengthening and expanding the bonds of friendship and promoting bilateral cooperation” between the two countries.
Although the United States has not yet formally recognized the visit, it marks an important step forward in historically turbulent relations between the two countries.
The ship will not dock at Cambodia’s Laem Naval Base, which has been the target of US criticism over concerns that it could be used as a military outpost by the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
However, this visit will include cultural exchange activities such as working meetings with Commander Ream, interactions with local officials, and a friendship sports competition between the U.S. Navy and the Cambodian Navy.
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“Planned action plans include a work meeting with Commander Reem Sea Base, a work meeting with the Sihanoukville provincial government, and a goodwill sports program between U.S. Navy and Cambodian Navy crews to promote intimacy and grouping. “There is a sense of solidarity as well as many friendly programs,” the Cambodian Ministry of Defense said.
Twenty-seven U.S. Navy ships have visited Cambodia since 2007, but this is the first time in nearly a decade that a U.S. warship has entered the country.
On December 11, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also acknowledged the “positive momentum in bilateral relations and cooperation” and noted the “revitalization” of military-to-military relations.
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The visit follows U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s visit to Cambodia in June, where he met with Prime Minister Hun Manet and other senior officials. During that visit, Austin also met with Cambodian graduates of the U.S. military training program.
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The announcement of the battleship Savannah’s port visit to Cambodia is part of a broader U.S. strategy to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia.
Just last month, the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln visited Port Klang, Malaysia, the first such visit in 12 years. These efforts are aimed at countering China’s growing influence in the region.
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The United States has expressed concern about the renovation of the Cambodian naval base near Sihanoukville, saying it could be used by Chinese warships to advance China’s strategic interests.
A potential Chinese naval base in Ream would give China easier access to the Straits of Malacca, a key shipping route connecting the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The Leem naval base near Sihanoukville became the focus of controversy in 2019 after reports that Cambodia might allow China to use the base for 30 years, station military personnel and berth warships. .
However, Cambodia has consistently denied such claims, saying its constitution prohibits foreign military bases.
In October 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chantol reaffirmed Cambodia’s position, stating that Chinese or other militaries would not use the base against other countries. He clarified that once the renovations are complete, the base will be open to all navies, but only for humanitarian, disaster recovery, or joint military exercises.
“The Reem Naval Base does not belong to the Chinese people. China is asking us to help expand the Reem Naval Base for the national defense of our country, not for use by China or any other military against other countries. They provided it to us,” Son said.
Before renovation work began, Cambodia’s defense partners, including Japan, Russia, and the United States, frequently used Ream Naval Base for joint military exercises with the RCN.
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A recent report from the Lowy Institute also suggests that China is unlikely to gain full control of the base due to its limited strategic value and domestic political constraints in Cambodia.
“Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base is unlikely to become a Chinese military base or outpost like the facility in Djibouti, which is fully operated by the People’s Liberation Army,” the report said. However, China could gain preferential access to the base or use facilities there to gather intelligence against other countries. ”
Nevertheless, China continues to support the redevelopment of the base and may even send a warship to the base in 2023, raising U.S. concerns about Chinese influence in the region.
