US, China in a tit-for-tat military basing battle

China’s apparently expanding military presence at Cambodia’s overhauled Ream Naval Base is once again raising alarm bells in Washington, a development first flagged in 2019 as a secret deal two years after Phnom Penh canceled Angkor Sentinel military exercises with US forces.

China’s military access to Cambodia’s port potentially gives it a strategic southern flank on the South China Sea, which could be leveraged in any conflict scenario with the US, including over Taiwan. Cambodia has persistently denied it has allowed Chinese troops to permanently station on its soil, which is banned under its constitution.

The latest uproar over Cambodia coincides with America’s controversial Typhon missile system deployment in the Philippines, a move that gives Manila the new capability to hit targets on the China mainland in any conflict scenario.

This month, BBC reported on the presence of Chinese naval corvettes at Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, raising concerns in the US about China’s reputed expanding military footprint there. BBC says the two Type A56 corvettes, visible from satellite imagery, are docked at a new Chinese-built pier alongside other Chinese-constructed facilities.

The Cambodian government claims the base is for training and is open to all friendly navies. However, it says the US is wary, citing China’s ambition to become a global military power, including by leveraging Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) investments in ports and other infrastructure with dual military use that could allow China privileged access in a conflict scenario.

Addressing US concerns, Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol announced that the US Navy would be welcome to visit the Ream Naval Base once its expansion, funded by China, is completed, Reuters reported.

Speaking at a think tank event in Washington, Sun emphasized that the base is intended for Cambodia’s national defense and not for exclusive use by China or any other foreign military. He assured that any navy could use the port for humanitarian, disaster recovery or joint military exercises.

Reuters notes that Chinese warships have been training the Cambodian Navy at Ream since December 2023, while the US has urged Cambodia to prevent any foreign country from having exclusive access to the base. Ream, previously used for the joint US-Cambodia naval exercises canceled in 2017, saw its US-built facility demolished in 2020.

Channel News Asia mentioned in September 2024 that upgrades to the Ream Naval Base benefit China more than Cambodia, as Cambodia lacks the military capability to utilize the enhanced facilities fully. BBC says while Ream may not significantly improve China’s power projection, it could aid in intelligence gathering.

As for the base’s impact on Cambodian sovereignty, BBC says while a long-term Chinese presence at Ream is likely, it may not violate Cambodia’s constitution as the base is not formally leased to China and Chinese forces could be present on a rotational basis – similar to the US’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the Philippines.

Asia Times mentioned in April 2023 that China’s establishment at Ream Naval Base has the potential to offset, oversee or potentially anticipate the presence of US naval forces in the vicinity of nearby Singapore, which regularly accommodates the rotational deployment of US Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

China may also utilize the Ream Naval Base and its existing southern naval bases to encircle Vietnam in the South China Sea, stretching the capacity of Vietnam’s Navy and Maritime Law Enforcement organizations. China and Vietnam have various territorial disputes in the South China Sea.  

Moreover, the Ream Naval Base could support Chinese activities near Indonesia’s Natuna Islands. Although China has recognized Indonesia’s ownership of the Natuna Islands, it has asserted that the waters surrounding the islands are within its “traditional fishing areas,” leading to tensions between the two sides.

Cambodia might see China’s involvement at the Ream Naval Base as protection against its more powerful neighbors, Thailand and Vietnam. This situation may have led Cambodia to support China’s interests in return for security assurances and economic benefits.

China’s enhanced presence at Ream is part of a larger basing tit-for-tat with the US, as both superpowers seek to entrench their positions in strategic regions that can serve as forward operating outposts against each other in a conflict scenario.  

In September 2024, Asia Times mentioned that the US’s indefinite deployment of the Typhon missile system in the Philippines has significantly escalated US-China tensions in the Pacific. 

Initially brought in for joint exercises in April 2024, the Typhon system, which is capable of launching Tomahawk and Standard Missile-6 weapons with range to reach mainland China, will remain in the northern Philippines, according to US and Philippine officials.

This move, aimed at bolstering regional deterrence, has drawn sharp criticism from China, which has warned the deployment will destabilize the region and spark an arms race.

The deployment aligns with the US’s extended deterrence strategy and Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept, which disperses forces to enhance survivability and lethality. However, the Philippines’ lack of air and missile defense assets could pose operational challenges, potentially requiring more US assets for protection.

The political landscape in the Philippines, marked by divisions between pro-US and pro-China factions, adds another layer of complexity, with future US defense initiatives potentially hanging in the balance as the Philippines’ mid-term elections approach next year.

While the Typhon missile deployment in the Philippines may have caused consternation in China, the US isn’t the only one involved in controversial, sensitive operations and deployments on its adversaries’ doorstep.

In July 2024, Asia Times mentioned that China has significantly bolstered its intelligence-gathering capabilities by establishing multiple spy bases in Cuba.

These facilities, strategically located in Bejucal, El Salao, Wajay and Calabazar, are designed to monitor sensitive communications and activities along the US southeastern seaboard, which hosts numerous military bases and space launch centers.

The largest site, near Bejucal, has a Cold War history while the El Salao site features a large circularly disposed antenna array (CDAA) for enhanced surveillance. The Cuban outposts underscore China’s ambition to expand its global intelligence footprint, including near US shores.

The development has raised concerns among US policymakers and regional partners about the long-term strategic implications, particularly in the context of a potential US-China conflict over Taiwan.

Before any conflict, China may send military personnel to its Latin American partners, such as Cuba, to gather intelligence and support special operations.

These personnel could potentially disrupt critical US facilities, observe military operations or even plan attacks against the US mainland. Additionally, China might use its personnel to create regional crises that could affect the US, such as disrupting supply chains or causing political instability in US partner countries in advance of any operation against Taiwan.