Ream, Cambodia –
Maritime Self-Defense Force ships made a port call at Cambodia’s Ream naval base Saturday, marking the first time any foreign military vessel has stopped at the base since it underwent expansion work with support from China.
Amid concerns among the United States and others that the base may become a hub for the Chinese military, the Cambodian government is believed to have been eyeing diplomatic balance by accepting vessels from Japan, a U.S. ally.
The Ream base faces the Gulf of Thailand and is close to waters in the South China Sea contested by China, the Philippines and others.
