Chinese and Cambodian ships sail in formation during training in the Gulf of Thailand, May 27, 2024. (Wang Zhaoqi/China Military Online)
China and Cambodian have concluded a 15-day military exercise in the Gulf of Thailand, highlighting growing ties between the two countries that continues to worry the United States.
Golden Dragon began May 16 and included live-fire drills, ship maneuvers, medical and other land- and sea-based training, according to a series of news releases from the official China Military Online.
More than 1,300 Cambodian troops and three Cambodian warships participated in the exercise alongside 760 Chinese troops and three ships, The Associated Press reported May 16.
The naval portion wrapped up Monday, and ground drills are slated to continue until Thursday, the Khmer Times reported this week.
Beijing used the exercise to showcase “unmanned intelligent” equipment, including robotic dogs and drones, according to a video posted to China Military Online on Tuesday.
The footage focused on a small, 33-pound dog intended for scouting missions and a larger, 110-pound dog capable of breaching doors and armed assaults with a mounted rifle.
Beijing also used the joint training, now in its sixth year, to highlight its partnership with Cambodia, which remains China’s closest ally in Southeast Asia.
Last year’s Gold Dragon served to consolidate the countries’ “profound friendship and deepening security cooperation,” Chinese Vice Adm. Wei Wenhui said in an April 2023 statement on China Military Online.
The Pentagon, which views China as the United States “pacing challenge,” sees Beijing’s military involvement with Cambodia as concerning, particularly its investments in Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand.
China since 2019 has funded extensive construction efforts at the base, including a new pier and deeper port facilities that can accommodate larger ships.
Beijing’s involvement in Ream is evidence of a broader strategy to expand its access to overseas bases and logistics, according to a 2023 Defense Department report to Congress.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to visit Cambodia June 4. He’s expected to meet with senior officials following the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, the Defense Department announced May 24.
It will be Austin’s first visit to the country since Hun Manet became prime minister last year, when he succeeded his father, Hun Sen, who held the position for 38 years.
Hun Manet attended the U.S. Military Academy from 1995-1999, becoming the first Cambodian to receive a West Point diploma. He also studied economics and earned his master’s and doctorate degrees at New York University and the University of Bristol in England.
