China to Gift Cambodia 2 Warships, Raising Concerns About Expanding Military Presence

Members of the Cambodian navy walk on a jetty at Ream Naval Base in Cambodia's Sihanoukville's province on July 26, 2019. Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP via Getty Images

Cambodia’s defense ministry stated on Sept. 4 that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is gifting the Cambodian navy with two warships, raising concerns about the CCP’s increased presence in the region.

Nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia has strategic access to the Gulf of Thailand and a waterway that acts as a critical shipping route between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean.