The completion of a new pier and dry dock at Ream has fueled concerns in Washington that China — Cambodia’s close ally and main provider of aid and investment — may have been granted exclusive access to the base.
Controversy has persisted since 2019 over reports of a potential 30-year agreement for Chinese military use of the site on the Gulf of Thailand. Although Beijing funded the base’s expansion, the Cambodian government has denied any agreement for exclusive Chinese privileges. Prime Minister Hun Manet, who oversaw the base’s reopening in April 2025, has maintained that Ream is open to all friendly nations for joint exercises, provided the ships are not too large for the facility.
