Two Japanese destroyers wrapped up a visit to the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville on Friday, located very close to a large naval base that China is currently constructing.
As a country firmly aligned with China, Cambodia’s closer security ties with Japan may indicate that Phnom Penh seeks to keep its diplomatic options open amid increasing great power rivalry in the South China Sea.
With a combined crew of 430, the Suzunami and Shimakaze destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force arrived in Cambodia on Thursday. They were received by Rear Admiral Ros Veasna, deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Navy.
The port of call comes after a meeting in Tokyo in December between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who agreed to increase security cooperation between their countries.
Sihanoukville port is a mere 15 km from a large naval base China is building in Cambodia at Ream near the South China Sea. Although both the Chinese and Cambodian governments deny that the base will be an outpost for the Chinese navy, those claims are in doubt as satellite photos recently revealed that the base will be capable of docking large warships and aircraft carriers. The Cambodian navy barely has any vessels over 50 meters in length.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Cambodia is perceived as a very close Chinese ally in the region, but it is increasing its security ties with Japan, an ally of the U.S., so as not to have all its diplomatic eggs in one Chinese basket.
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