According to information published by Radio Free Asia on February 22, 2023, recent satellite images have shown significant development of a China-funded naval base in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.
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The guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin anchored off Sihanoukville, Cambodia during a scheduled four-day port visit in 2010. (Picture source: US DoD)
Ream Naval Base is a facility operated by the Royal Cambodian Navy in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The base covers an area of approximately 190 acres and is located on a peninsula southeast of the provincial capital, Krong Preah Sihanouk.
The Wall Street Journal reported in July 2019 that US officials had seen a secret agreement that allowed the Chinese PLA navy exclusive access to about one-third of the Ream naval base for up to 30 years.
Cambodian authorities denied the existence of the agreement, calling it "fake news," but in 2021, the Cambodian defense minister admitted that China was helping build infrastructure at Ream.
It is important to note that there are differing views on the extent and significance of China's involvement in the Ream Naval Base. Some observers see it as part of China's broader efforts to expand its influence in the region, while others downplay the significance of China's activities there.
