Will US warship visit calm fears of ‘intelligence outpost’ at Cambodian naval base?

A visit by a United States warship to a Cambodian port built with major Chinese backing has underscored Phnom Penh’s superpower balancing act, but observers say American concerns will linger over the facility’s usage being dominated by Beijing.The USS Cincinnati arrived on Saturday at Ream Naval Base as part of a mission to strengthen cooperation between Cambodian-US forces and departed from the Preah Sihanouk location on Wednesday, local media reported.The littoral combat ship is the first American warship to dock at the base since its expansion was completed in April last year, and the first US vessel to visit the kingdom since the USS Savannah stopped at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port in December 2024.Heavily funded and expanded on by Beijing since 2022, Ream has been transformed to host larger, modern warships with key upgrades including a 300-metre (980-foot) deepwater pier, 5,000-tonne (5,500-ton) dry dock and joint logistics and training centre.The upgrades have fuelled concerns that Ream is becoming a permanent outpost for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, similar to its base in Djibouti. Chinese naval vessels, specifically corvettes, have maintained a near-constant, rotating presence at the base since December 2023.Ream Naval Base Deputy Commander In Sokhemra (centre) welcomes USS Cincinnati captain Andrew Recame on Saturday. Photo: APWhile acknowledging Chinese funding for upgrades, Phnom Penh has stated that the base is open to vessels from all nations. Apart from the USS Cincinnati’s five-day visit, two Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force vessels, the Bungo and Etazima, visited Ream last April, followed by a Vietnamese People’s Navy vessel shortly after.