Cambodia breaks up protest over alleged China military base

[geovalin]

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodian security guards broke up a small protest on Friday near the Chinese embassy opposing alleged plans to boost Beijing’s military presence in the country, as police detained some demonstrators for questioning.

After brief scuffles, city security guards carried three protesters to a nearby police pickup truck, according to live streaming by local media and Reuters witnesses.

“We reject the Chinese military presence in Cambodia,” shouted one protester, waving a Cambodian flag, as a police officer with a loud hailer gave the group five minutes to disperse.

The Cambodian government has repeatedly denied reports that China had reached a secret deal to let it place forces at the Ream Naval Base, saying that hosting foreign forces would be against Cambodia’s constitution.

Phnom Penh police spokesman San Sok Seyha said those detained had been taken in for questioning since the rally had not been given a permit.

“We need to protect the embassy and keep public order for all people,” he said.

Earlier, police officers at the scene had told some journalists to delete pictures and video of the altercation, according to Reuters witnesses.

Friday’s protest was part of a wider rally organised by the dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to mark the 29th anniversary of the Paris Peace Agreement ending Cambodia’s civil war, said CNRP’s former vice president, Mu Sochua.

Cambodia, which is among Asia’s poorest nations, has been an important ally to China in recent years and has been accused of giving Beijing influence in return for economic support. Cambodia has insisted its foreign and security policy is independent.

The CNRP was dissolved at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government, which accused the party of plotting to take power with the help of Washington. The CNRP and the U.S. embassy in Cambodia have denied the accusation.

The Chinese embassy did not immediately respond to request for comment.

(This story corrects acronym in paragraph 8.)

Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Ed Davies and Ana Nicolaci da Costa

 

- -   REUTERS   - -

[ThailandRyan]

And you wonder why Cambodia tore up the US military base, guess it was to make room for the Chinese, the new overlords, just like Thailand.  Soon China will rule over most of the Asian countries in one way or another.  The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, and a few others will not condone this land grab to increase the land holdings and over watch by China however.   I just hope that the CCP does not embolden the little rocket man to be the Pitbull and do their dirty work for them.

[Kerryd]

It seems everyone in the world knows what is going on, except for a couple of posters on this forum.

As I said before, they probably destroyed the US built command center as the Chinese wouldn't trust it to not be full of bugs transmitting directly to Washington. The "secret deal" to lease a part of the naval base to China hasn't been much of a secret at all.

The airbase (built by the Chinese) an hour's drive north of the naval base is disguised as an airport meant to service a nearby resort area. With runways far too long than needed for even the largest commercial jets but just the right length for Chinese Air Force bombers to land and take off from. (The runways are longer than at the airport in Phnom Penh.)
 
Cambodia's PM recently "donated" 300 brand new Chinese built trucks to the Cambodian military and police. (Supposedly given to Cambodia by China "out of the goodness of their hearts" but to hide the real reason for the "gift" the PM declared he himself was donating the vehicles (without explaining how he got them of course.)

Chinese construction on the airbase, er, "airport" and naval base, as well as the "secret agreement" for the naval base (a 30 year lease with automatic 10 year extensions) were reported about in the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal over a year ago.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/secret-deal-for-chinese-naval-outpost-in-cambodia-raises-u-s-fears-of-beijings-ambitions-11563732482
https://www.ft.com/content/861d20ce-ad39-11e9-8030-530adfa879c2

According to a Nikkei Asia article a few weeks ago (beginning of Oct) it was announced that a "Chinese backed expansion" of the Ream Naval Base was set to begin, which would include improving the port and building a ship repair facility. Cambodia claims (hilariously) that the repair facility would save Cambodia money "in the event they decide to acquire larger ships". 
(Or in the event that the Chinese decide to station larger ships at the base. Part of the expansion includes dredging parts of the base to allow larger ships to dock at the new piers that will be built to accommodate those larger ships.)
https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Cambodia-naval-base-set-to-undergo-China-led-expansion

Apparently Chinese companies have also leased large tracts of land around the base with the intent of building "resorts" (which I would assume will actually be "off base housing" for the navy and base personnel that will be stationed there).
Supposedly, a draft of the "secret agreement" included clauses allowing Chinese personnel to be armed and being given Cambodian passports (to hide their true nationality) and clauses requiring the Cambodians to get "Chinese permission" to enter the part of the base under Chinese control.

One of the (Chinese) companies involved in doing reclamation work in the area is the same company that has been sanctioned by the US for their work on building up those islands in the South China Sea that China then built runways on and stationed aircraft at in their attempt to claim control of the whole area.

Cambodia is quickly slipping back into "3rd World Warlord" territory, arresting any who oppose him and claiming they are "plotting to overthrow" him (with US help of course). 

I wonder how long until things start getting "bloody" again ? I can imagine Vietnam (and a couple other countries in the region) aren't too happy with the way things are going.

And it's not just in Cambodia. It seems the Chinese have their fingers in other places like Burma, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. These are strategic moves, designed with a specific purpose. China can't "project" power around the world like the USA can, but it can try to contain America's ability to respond by locking down the approaches to SE Asia.

They have objectives in mind and are planning ahead, knowing what the response will likely be when they decide to go forward with achieving those objectives. 

(You can bet the Chinese would rather have the bombs and missiles falling on Cambodia and Burma (and Thailand) rather than on themselves.) 

[Deli]

Where the CCP doesn't buy the Dictators like Hun Sen directly, they enslave the poor countries in SEA or Africa through "cheap" loans, which these countries never can pay back. It's a cheap war, won without shooting a single bullet. But there are still Governments allaround the world embracing China. WAKE UP WORLD

[Isaan sailor]

CCP buys influence—and not just in 3rd world countries.