[International] After 10-Year Hiatus, Cambodia to Resume Joint Military Exercise 'Angkor Sentinel' with the US
RtiTalk 小編9d ago
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated on the 14th that Cambodia and the United States will restart their long-suspended joint military exercises next year, seeking to mend bilateral relations that have been strained by Phnom Penh's closer ties with China.
The announcement of the first joint military exercise between the two countries in a decade came after Hun Manet met with senior Pentagon policy official Elbridge Colby in Phnom Penh.
The Cambodian leader wrote on Facebook that the resumption of the 'Angkor Sentinel' exercise in 2027 will serve as a 'bridge to build close friendships between the two militaries.'
He praised that 'Cambodian-US relations have made positive progress, including in the defense sector.'
Phnom Penh canceled the joint military exercise, which had been ongoing for seven years with the United States, in early 2017. Just months prior, Cambodia had held its first joint military exercise, 'Golden Dragon,' with the Chinese military.
Last year, Cambodia and China conducted their largest-ever joint military exercise, with China deploying advanced military equipment including artillery, warships, and robotic combat dogs.
Phnom Penh has long been one of Beijing's staunchest allies in Southeast Asia, receiving billions of dollars in investment.
In recent years, the United States has expressed concerns over China's funding for the renovation of Cambodia's Ream Naval Base. The base is located on the country's southern coast, bordering the Gulf of Thailand.
Washington stated that the base could provide China with a key strategic position near the disputed South China Sea, over which Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire body of water. The Ream Naval Base was initially partially funded by the United States.
Cambodian leaders have repeatedly denied that the base is for the use of any single foreign power, and in January of this year, a US warship visited the Ream Naval Base.
Colby stated in an online press conference on the 13th that the US 'looks forward to working with Cambodia to expand our defense partnership.'
He added that the move would be undertaken in a 'pragmatic' spirit, 'aimed at helping Cambodia maintain its territorial integrity and sovereignty.' (Editor: Chung Chin-lung)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=226454
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