Partnership of convenience: Ream Naval Base and the Cambodia–China convergence

Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, on the Gulf of Thailand, is unlikely to fall exclusively into China’s grasp following a Chinese upgrade of the military facility, but it could still serve as a key intelligence-gathering post for Beijing.

A new Analysis, entitled Partnership of convenience: Ream Naval Base and the Cambodia–China convergence, by Lowy Institute Research Fellow Dr Rahman Yaacob, sets out why Cambodia has sought to deepen its defence ties with China. It also examines Beijing’s assistance to modernise Ream Naval Base, and what Western countries can do to balance China’s influence over Cambodia.

China’s funding for the redevelopment of the Ream Naval Base has been a concern for the United States and its allies, given its potential to hand the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) another foothold in Southeast Asia.

“Chinese military aid to modernise Ream Naval Base is largely driven by Beijing’s strategic objective to grow its influence in the kingdom and Southeast Asia,” writes Dr Yaacob.

“However, geographic limitations, a lack of strategic value, and domestic political constraints in Cambodia present obstacles to any Chinese efforts to turn Ream into a military base fully under PLA control.

“China is likely focused on gaining preferential access to the base or to use its facilities there to collect intelligence against other states.”

Dr Yaacob notes Western countries, aiming to counter China’s influence in Cambodia, have often failed to understand the factors that have pushed the two countries together.

He argues the United States and its partners, such as Australia, should offer Cambodia closer security ties, greater assistance to modernise its military, and access to education programs, while seeking to deepen diplomatic relations and understanding of Cambodia’s complicated relations with its Southeast Asian neighbours, Vietnam and Thailand.

“Dr Yaacob has written one of the most authoritative open-source assessments on the future of Ream Naval Base, drawing on extensive fieldwork, unique access to Cambodian defence officials and interviews with intelligence officials from neighbouring countries,” according to the Lowy Institute’s Research Director Hervé Lemahieu.

KEY FINDINGS

• It is unlikely that Ream Naval Base in Cambodia will be a Chinese military base or outpost such as the facility in Djibouti fully operated by the People’s Liberation Army. However, China could gain preferential access to the base or use its facilities there to collect intelligence against other states.
   
• The Cambodia–China defence convergence is driven by differing motives. Cambodia seeks a partner to modernise its military so it can meet perceived security threats from Thailand and Vietnam, while China wants to expand its political influence and military reach in Southeast Asia.
   
• New political and military leadership in Cambodia offers Australia and other like-minded partners an opportunity to deepen defence relations with the kingdom to counter China’s influence.

The full Lowy Institute Analysis, Partnership of convenience: Ream Naval Base and the Cambodia–China convergence, is available to read and download at the Lowy Institute website.

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