Cambodia’s foreign minister has rejected apparent “groundless accusations” that the Chinese regime is seeking to build a naval base on its shores—the second foreign naval base for Beijing.
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn told Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong that Cambodian authorities would abide by its constitution that does not permit a foreign military base or presence on its soil.
“The renovation of the base served solely to strengthen the country’s naval capacities to protect its maritime integrity and combat crimes,” according to a statement on June 7.
“[Sokhonn] touched on the good gesture by Cambodian government in allowing the foreign military attaches in Phnom Penh to visit Ream Naval Base that is unprecedented in practice by any country vis-à-vis its military base.”…