China finds dredgers at Cambodia naval base

Dredgers have been found off Cambodia's Ream naval base, where China is funding construction work and deeper port facilities would be necessary for the docking of larger military ships, a U.S. think tank said Friday.

The United States, which has been trying to push back against Beijing's extensive territorial claims and military expansion in the South China SeaChina Sea, reiterated its concerns about China's construction and military presence at Ream.

A State Department spokeswoman said these developments threaten the U.S. and partner interests, regional security and Cambodia's sovereignty.

A report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank said the dredgers could be seen in photos released by the Cambodian government this month and commercial satellite imagery.

Dredging of deeper port facilities would be necessary for the docking of larger military ships at Ream, part of a secret agreement between China and Cambodia that U.S. officials reported in 2019, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at CSIS.

According to a 2019 Wall Street Journal report, China was granted military access to the base in return for funding facilities improvements.

Last June, Cambodian media quoted Defense Minister Tea Bahn as saying China would help to modernize and expand Ream, but would not be the only country given access to the facility.

AMTI said a Jan. 16 commercial satellite image showed two dredgers and barges for collecting dredged sand. It said other images showed both dredgers arriving between Jan. 13 and Jan. 15.

They were also visible in a photo posted on Tea Banh's Facebook page after his visit Tuesday to Ream, it said, adding that the work could be a significant upgrade in the base's capabilities. Ream is currently unable to host small patrol vessels because of the shallow waters around it. A deep-water port would make it more useful for both the Chinese and Cambodian navies. AMTI said construction work had continued onshore, with land clearing in several locations southwest of the base since fall 2021, and that the base is prepared for major infrastructure upgrades. The State Department said the United States urged Cambodia to be fully transparent about the intent, nature, and scope of the project at Ream and the role the PRC military is playing in its construction, raising concerns about the intended use of the naval facility. In the last year, Washington sanctioned two Cambodian officials over alleged corruption at Ream and imposed an arms embargo and export restrictions on Cambodia over what it said was the growing influence of China's military in the country, as well as human rights and corruption.