A US warship has docked in Cambodia, a major ally of China, for the first time in 8 years

A US Navy warship arrived in Cambodia on Monday, the first visit of its kind in eight years to a country considered a close ally. China In Southeast Asia. The Cambodian government has suggested that the port invitation reflects an improvement in often tense relations.

The USS Savannah docked in the port of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand for a five-day visit. The Savannah, classified as a littoral combat ship, carries a crew of 103.

The ship’s captain, Daniel A., said: Sleds said in brief statements to reporters, “It is wonderful to be back, the return of the American presence here after eight years.” A Cambodian officer gave him a bouquet of flowers and shook hands with a group of her colleagues.

The United States has had tense relations with Cambodia for many years, and has criticized its government for political repression and human rights violations. There is particular concern about its close ties with China, which Washington fears could gain exclusive access to a Cambodian naval base on the Gulf of Thailand, not far from where the Savannah is anchored.

Recently, there appear to be moves to repair relations.

The Cambodian Ministry of National Defense said last week that the visit was scheduled after a US request to visit the port, and that it would “work to strengthen and expand friendly ties as well as enhance bilateral cooperation” between the two countries.

Two days earlier, the Cambodian Foreign Ministry noted the “positive momentum of bilateral relations and cooperation” and the “revitalization of military cooperation” between Cambodia and the United States.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin He visited Cambodia in early June, where he held talks with Prime Minister Hun Manet and other senior officials. He also met with Cambodian graduates of US military training programs. Hun Manet himself is a graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point.

The US Department of Defense said at the time that the Austin discussions addressed “opportunities to strengthen the bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Cambodia in support of regional peace and security” and other issues.

But Washington remains concerned about Cambodia’s upgrading Ream Naval Base Sihanoukville’s proximity will serve Beijing’s strategic interests in the region.

The United States and others indicate that the Chinese Navy is establishing a permanent base in Ream, which will facilitate its access to the Strait of Malacca, a vital shipping route between the two countries. South China Sea And the Indian Ocean.

Controversy over Chinese activity at Ream initially arose in 2019 when The Wall Street Journal reported that an early draft of the agreement seen by US officials would allow China to use the base for 30 years, where it would be able to deploy military personnel, store weapons and anchor warships.

Cambodia’s government has denied the existence of such an agreement or any intention to grant China special privileges at the base, although Beijing has funded its expansion.

Washington has said the Ream base could give Beijing a key strategic location in the Gulf of Thailand near the disputed South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely.

Chinese warships first docked at the 1,190-foot pier in December last year. Two of them docked in the port of Sihanoukville in May as part of the largest joint military exercises between Beijing and Cambodia.

The Chinese military unveiled “robot dogs” equipped with machine guns this year in annual joint exercises, known as the “Golden Dragon” exercises.

The Cambodian Defense Ministry said 27 US Navy ships have visited the country since 2007, although the visit by the USS Savannah was the first docking in eight years.

Beijing on Monday responded to the US warship’s visit to Sihanoukville, saying that “such security and defense exchanges and cooperation should contribute to promoting regional peace and stability, not the other way around.”

In September, the Cambodian Ministry of Defense said that China would provide its navy with two warships of the type that had been docked there for months. China is set to deliver two newly built Type 56s – smaller vessels typically used for coastal patrols – next year at the earliest, after Cambodia requested China’s support.

The Cambodian Defense Ministry said the Savannah port visit will include “a working meeting with the Commander of Ream Naval Base,” as well as meetings with regional officials and “a friendship sports competition between US Navy crews and the Cambodian Navy.”

Cambodian Navy Captain Min Savoyun, deputy commander of Ream Naval Base, was among those who welcomed Savannah to Sihanoukville on the dock. He said he was happy to see good relations between Cambodia and the United States, especially their naval forces, and believed the visit would bring about closer diplomatic cooperation.

The Littoral Combat Ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) was commissioned in 2022 and is the sixth ship to bear the city of Savannah’s name. According to the US Navy.

“The LCS is a fast, agile, mission-focused platform designed to operate in near-shore environments while being capable of open-ocean missions,” the Navy says. “LCS can support forward presence, maritime security, maritime control and deterrence.

Agence France-Presse contributed to the preparation of this report.