A US warship docked in Cambodia yesterday, just kilometers away from a Chinese-renovated naval base, in the first US military port call to one of Beijing’s closest regional allies in eight years.
Washington’s relationship with Phnom Penh has been deteriorating for years, with China pouring billions of dollars into infrastructure investment under former Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen.
Reporters saw Cambodian navy personnel welcoming the arrival of the USS Savannah to the southern port city of Sihanoukville.
Photo: AFP
The ship’s commanding officer Daniel Sledz said that “it is great to be back, returning US presence here after eight years,” adding that his crew were “very pleased” to be hosted by Cambodia.
The US embassy posted a statement on social media saying that the combat ship is on a “goodwill visit” that aims to “boost US-Cambodia coordination and response to shared maritime security challenges.”
The Cambodian Ministry of National Defense on Friday last week said that the five-day visit aims to “strengthen and expand friendship,” and “promote bilateral cooperation.”
China since 2022 has been funding the renovation of the Ream naval base, about 30km from Sihanoukville, which was originally built partly using US funds.
Washington has said the Ream base could give Beijing a key strategic position in the Gulf of Thailand near the disputed South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety.
Cambodian leaders have repeatedly denied that the base is for use by any foreign power.
Chinese warships first docked at the 363m pier in December last year. Two berthed at Sihanoukville port in May as part of Beijing’s biggest joint military drills with Cambodia.
The Chinese military unveiled machine gun-equipped “robodogs” this year at the annual joint exercises, known as the “Golden Dragon” drills.
Cambodia in early 2017 scrapped similar joint exercises with US forces that had been held for the previous seven years.
The ministry said that 27 US Navy vessels have visited the nation since 2007, although the visit of the USS Savannah with 103 crew members was the first docking in eight years.
The ship’s senior officers are to meet with the Ream base’s commander.
Beijing yesterday responded to the US warship’s visit to Sihanoukville saying: “Such exchanges and collaborations in security and defense should contribute to promoting regional peace and stability, rather than the opposite.”
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Cambodia in June to reset ties with the staunch China ally.
Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn and the US embassy’s Bridgette Walker last week hailed the “reinvigoration” of military ties between the two nations.
ENDEAVOR MANTA: The ship is programmed to automatically return to its designated home port and would self-destruct if seized by another party The Endeavor Manta, Taiwan’s first military-specification uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) tailor-made to operate in the Taiwan Strait in a bid to bolster the nation’s asymmetric combat capabilities made its first appearance at Kaohsiung’s Singda Harbor yesterday. Taking inspiration from Ukraine’s navy, which is using USVs to force Russia’s Black Sea fleet to take shelter within its own ports, CSBC Taiwan (台灣國際造船) established a research and development unit on USVs last year, CSBC chairman Huang Cheng-hung (黃正弘) said. With the exception of the satellite guidance system and the outboard motors — which were purchased from foreign companies that were not affiliated with Chinese-funded
PERMIT REVOKED: The influencer at a news conference said the National Immigration Agency was infringing on human rights and persecuting Chinese spouses Chinese influencer “Yaya in Taiwan” (亞亞在台灣) yesterday evening voluntarily left Taiwan, despite saying yesterday morning that she had “no intention” of leaving after her residence permit was revoked over her comments on Taiwan being “unified” with China by military force. The Ministry of the Interior yesterday had said that it could forcibly deport the influencer at midnight, but was considering taking a more flexible approach and beginning procedures this morning. The influencer, whose given name is Liu Zhenya (劉振亞), departed on a 8:45pm flight from Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) to Fuzhou, China. Liu held a news conference at the airport at 7pm,
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
Authorities yesterday elaborated on the rules governing Employment Gold Cards after a US cardholder was barred from entering Taiwan for six years after working without a permit during a 2023 visit. American YouTuber LeLe Farley was barred after already being approved for an Employment Gold Card, he said in a video published on his channel on Saturday. Farley, who has more than 420,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, was approved for his Gold Card last month, but was told at a check-in counter at the Los Angeles International Airport that he could not enter Taiwan. That was because he previously participated in two
RSS