Cloud Lang Naval base is a facility operated by the Royal Cambodian Navy along the Gulf of Thailand in Sihanouk province of Cambodia.
Cambodia government officially denied Monday (October 5) that the demolition of a U.S.-funded facility in the Gulf of Thailand naval base was a sign that China was granted base privileges. Phnom Penh indicated that the dismantling of the facility was a planned infrastructure improvement. This is Cambodia's government response to recent media reports that highlight new concerns about China's suspicious plans to base the Yunlang Navy.
Cambodia's National Maritime Safety Commission said in a statement Monday that its tactical command headquarters is a temporary building and plans to relocate it began as early as the end of 2017. It referred to the facility as a "business unit responsible for implementing multi-agency law enforcement" in cooperation with the United States and Australia ".
The Commission stated that the existing facility was too small and lacked facilities for ship call and limited capacity for training and other activities, and that, as a result, a larger facility was being established in new locations with no change. in its functions or relationship with foreign partners
China is Cambodia's closest political ally, Prime Minister Hun Sen, and has provided substantial aid and investment to Cambodia.
Hun Sen said in June that China had not been granted a concession to use the base. He also said Cambodia welcomes warships from all countries, including the United States, to dock here. Meanwhile, he noted that Cambodia's constitution did not allow any foreign country to establish military base. on its land
The Wall Street Journal 》 reported last year that what u.s. officials saw as a preliminary draft agreement would allow china 30 years of use of yunlong's base, where it would be able to deploy military personnel, stockpile weapons and dock warships.
Western analysts believe access to the base in cambodia would greatly expand beijing's strategic military delivery capacity and change the region's authority balance.
On the question of whether China and Cambodia have signed a secret agreement allowing China to establish base in Yunlang Naval base, Cambodia's Defense Ministry, General speaker Chunjie (Chhum Socheat), insisted in an interview with VOA's Chinese Ministry in Phnom Penh last August 21 that Cambodia has not signed such an agreement with China, as Cambodia constitution article 53 is very clear that no foreign army is allowed to have a base. in Cambodia
Information photo : Cambodia's Ministry of Defence speaker General Chun Koo Jai was interviewed by VOA at the Prime Minister's House (22 August 2019)
He also said at the time that Cambodia "did not even think about it" to allow the Chinese military to use this naval base in any form.
"Cambodia is a fully independent sovereignty country ," the speaker replied, referring to the question that Cambodia could hardly say no to China if it demanded the use of the naval base, given its so much investment and assistance in Cambodia and its influence on Cambodia. We are not dominated by anyone. No, we're not afraid of anyone. We're not afraid of anyone. Investment and trade are investment and trade issues, military are military aspects, you must separate the two. "
China's state-owned ufa development group, which gained control of a large portion of the region's coastline through its seven-star sea resort development project, and built an airport in the gulf of thailand that appears to be capable of docking military aircraft as well as civilian shipping, all fuel speculation that china has been allowed to build military facilities in the region.
The U.S. Treasury Department last month announced sanctions against UU.
Secretary of State Pompeo said in a statement released on the day the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against UCL that there were "credible reports" that the Seven Star Sea project "could be used to store military supplies. "
He said: "If the situation is true, it will violate Cambodia's constitution and may threaten the stability of the Indo-Pacific region. It may also affect Cambodia's sovereignty and the security of our allies."
