Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen made an announcement on Friday regarding the granting of visitation rights to Japan at the Ream Naval Base in the country. This move has sparked interest as the United States has been concerned about the potential for the base to be utilized as a military outpost for China.
Chinese military vessels have been observed rotating through Ream Naval Base since June 2022, following an upgrade that was funded by Beijing. Despite speculation, Cambodia has consistently denied the existence of any secret agreement with China to allow its forces to be stationed at the base. The upgrade project at Ream Naval Base began after Cambodia decided to demolish a facility that had been built by the United States in Sihanoukville in 2020. Cambodia had declined an offer from Washington to restore the facility.
Hun Sen, who currently serves as Cambodia’s Senate president, revealed the decision to grant Japan access to the naval base during a meeting with Akiba Takeo, Japan’s national security adviser. A post on Hun Sen’s Facebook page, which included footage of their meeting, highlighted his appreciation for Japan’s role in the region and described the country as a valuable partner.
In recent years, relations between the United States and Cambodia have faced challenges, partly due to Phnom Penh’s growing alliance with Beijing and a series of government actions targeting the political opposition. Hun Sen’s son, Hun Manet, who received his education in the United States at the West Point military academy, took over as prime minister last year after his father’s nearly four-decade-long tenure in power. Despite this transition, Hun Sen continues to wield significant influence in Cambodia and regularly engages with foreign leaders and delegations both domestically and internationally. Notably, he recently met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit earlier this month.
The decision to offer Japan access to the Ream Naval Base comes shortly after a Cambodian deputy premier mentioned at a Washington think tank event that once the base construction is completed, any country’s military, including that of the United States, would be welcome to call at the port, emphasizing that the facility is not intended specifically for Chinese use. Additionally, the move follows a recent visit to Cambodia by the USS Savannah, an Independence-variant littoral combat ship belonging to the U.S. Navy. This visit marked the first time in eight years that a vessel of this type from the U.S. Navy had visited Cambodia.
