To align security interests, China and Asean must close trust gaps
Last month, Cambodia allowed foreign warships from multiple nations to access its
Ream naval base in a clear bid to show it is not merely a Chinese outpost. A Vietnamese gunboat docked on April 27, following the arrival of
two Japanese minesweepers after Cambodia inaugurated the upgraded facility. Russian naval vessels also docked at Ream during a visit that began in late April.
The Phnom Penh Post reported that Cambodian Prime Minister
Hun Manet 'welcomes requests from all nations' to dock and conduct joint activities there. Hosting Vietnamese, Russian and Japanese ships can help fend off presumptions that the base is exclusively Chinese. It is also in line with Beijing's professed vision of an inclusive regional security framework.
In April, just before President
Xi Jinping's Southeast Asian tour , Beijing outlined a
new security doctrine at a conference on periphery diplomacy. The framework echoes Xi's remarks in November 2024 when he said, 'It is for the people of Asia to run the affairs of Asia.'
On visits to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, Xi cast China as a stable partner committed to resisting external 'unilateral bullying' – a rebuke of US trade policies – and to 'safeguard our shared Asian home'.
Beijing's diplomatic signals also evoke the ambitions of its
Global Security Initiative – a 'vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security' and a commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful dialogue. In particular, China reiterated its official position that
South China Sea disputes 'should be resolved peacefully by sovereign states directly concerned'.
For this vision to translate into lasting trust, China must lead with openness, consistency and a commitment to multilateral dialogue.
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