A US Navy warship arrived in Cambodia, China’s close ally in Southeast Asia, according to AP News.
The USS Savannah docked at the port of Sihanoukville, the Gulf of Thailand, for a five-day visit. The ship is classified as a Littoral Combat Ship and has a crew of 103. The ship’s commanding officer, Daniel A. Sledzm stated:
It’s great to be back, returning US presence to here after eight years.
The United States has had a difficult relationship with Cambodia over the years amid alleged human rights abuses and political repression. The US is also concerned about close ties with China, which Washington believes could gain access to Cambodia’s naval base in the Gulf of Thailand.
Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence said last week that the visit was planned after a US request for a port call. Two days earlier, Cambodia’s foreign ministry noted the “positive momentum of bilateral ties and co-operation” and “the reinvigoration of military-to-military co-operation” between Cambodia and the US.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Cambodia in early June for talks with Prime Minister Hun Manet and other senior officials. The US Department of Defence said at the time that Austin’s discussions focused on “opportunities to strengthen the US-Cambodia bilateral defence relationship in support of regional peace and security.”
The US and others have speculated that the Chinese Navy is establishing a permanent base in Ream, which would facilitate its access to the Malacca Strait, an important shipping route between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. However, the Cambodian government denies the existence of such an agreement or any intention to grant China special privileges at the base, although Beijing has funded its expansion.
Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence stated that the Savannah’s port call would include “a working meeting with the commander of the Ream Naval Base,” as well as “a friendship sports competition between the crews of the US Navy and the Cambodian Navy.”
Cambodian Navy Captain Mean Savoeun, deputy commander of the Ream Naval Base, was among those who met Savannah at the pier in Sihanoukville. Savoeun said he was pleased to witness the good relations between Cambodia and the US, especially its navy. The visit is expected to lead to closer diplomatic co-operation.
