Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:
中国とカンボジア、海軍基地の改修工事に着手 「鉄壁」の関係アピール
2022.06.10 Fri posted at 15:30 JST
（ＣＮＮ） 中国とカンボジアの当局者らがこのほど、前者の出資によるカンボジア南部の海軍基地の着工式に出席した。中国の駐カンボジア大使はこうした軍事面での協力を「鉄壁のパートナーシップ」の一環と形容するが、中国軍の拠点拡大の兆候だとして警戒する見方も出ている。
カンボジアの当局者によると、同国のリアム海軍基地の改修工事は中国からの無償の資金協力を活用して行われる。西側諸国は中国政府の動きについて、タイ湾に位置する同基地を軍事利用しているのではないかと懸念を表明している。
カンボジアのティア・バン国防相はこうした見方を一蹴。着工式の中で、計画は同国憲法に沿ったものだと強調した。憲法では外国の軍事基地を国内に置くのを禁じている。またカンボジアは他国からの開発支援を受け入れる考えだとも明言した。
国営通信社ＡＫＰの報道によると、バン氏はカンボジアの国民と領土、主権を守るため基地の改修が必要との認識を表明。計画は「近代化」を念頭に置いたものであり、乾ドック、埠頭（ふとう）、船台といった設備の建設・改修工事を含むと述べたという。
一方、中国の王文天駐カンボジア大使は着工式で、基地の改修は「いかなる第三者も標的としておらず、両軍の実際的な協力の一段の緊密化に貢献するだろう」と発言。「鉄壁のパートナーシップの強固な柱」として、両国の軍事協力は双方の国益の基盤をなすとの認識を示した。ＡＫＰが伝えた。
リアム海軍基地はカンボジアの南端付近にあり、南シナ海と近い戦略的要衝。同基地における中国の役割に対しては、近年米国政府が軍事拠点の拡張という観点から厳しい視線を注いでいた。
米国務省によれば、シャーマン副長官は中国の同基地での軍駐留や施設建設について、カンボジアの副首相や外相との先月の会談で改めて懸念を伝えたという。
近年経済と外交における関係強化を進めている中国、カンボジア両政府は、こうした懸念に強く反発。今週には中国が自国の海軍のための施設を同基地に建設しているとの報道を否定していた。
現在のところ、中国軍の海外基地があるのはアフリカのジブチのみとなっている。
Translation
(CNN) Chinese and Cambodian officials had recently attended a ground-breaking ceremony for a naval base in southern Cambodia funded by the former. China's ambassador to Cambodia described this military cooperation as part of an "iron-walled partnership," but some people were wary of it as a sign of a Chinese military base expansion.
According to Cambodian officials, the renovation of the country's Ream Naval Base would be carried out using free grant aid from China. Western nations had expressed concern over the Chinese government's move in that it might be using a base in the Gulf of Thailand for military purposes.
Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Banh dismissed this view. In the ground-breaking ceremony, he emphasized that the plan was in line with the country's constitution. The constitution prohibited the establishment of foreign military bases in the country. It also stated that Cambodia intended to accept development support from other countries.
According to a report by the Cambodian state news agency AKP, Mr. Banh expressed his recognition that the base needed to be renovated to protect the Cambodian people, territory and sovereignty. He said the plan had "modernization" in mind, and included the construction and refurbishment of equipment such as dry docks, wharfs and slipways.
Meanwhile, China's Ambassador to Cambodia, Wang Wen Tian (王文天),
said at the ground-breaking ceremony that the renovation of the base "whatsoever
will not target at any third party and will contribute to further closer
practical cooperation between the two forces." He acknowledged that
military cooperation between the two countries would form the basis of both
national interests, as "a strong pillar of the iron-walled
partnership." This was reported by AKP.
The Ream Naval Base was located near the southern tip of
Cambodia and was a strategic point close to the South China Sea. In recent
years, the US government had been paying close attention to China's role at the
base from the perspective of military base expansion.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Deputy Secretary of State Sherman reiterated concerns at last month's talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Cambodia about China’s military presence and facility construction at the base.
The Chinese and Cambodian governments, which had been strengthening relations between the countries in economy and diplomacy in recent years, strongly opposed these concerns. This week it denied reports that China was building a facility for its navy at the base.
At present, the only overseas base for Chinese army was in
Djibouti in Africa.
So, the Ream Naval Base is
located near the southern tip of Cambodia and is a strategic point close to the
South China Sea where China has territorial disputes with many countries in the
region. Against the background that China is building more and more aircraft
carriers, the US government is paying close attention to this base from the
perspective of China’s military base expansion.
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