Cambodia hosts China for their latest and largest joint military exercise
By SOPHENG CHEANG
Cambodia's armed forces on Wednesday launched their latest — and largest — Golden Dragon joint military exercise with China, with land, sea and air operations planned over the next two weeks.
The initial exercise was in 2016, marking deepening relations between Cambodia and China while Cambodia canceled similar exercises with the United States. Cambodian officials recently proposed reviving exercises with U.S. forces, after Washington in the past year has sent several high-ranking military and civilian officials in an effort to increase its influence.
Cambodia is China's closest ally in Southeast Asia, while Beijing is Cambodia's most important ally and benefactor, whose aid and investment have fueled Cambodia's rapid growth in recent decades. Chinese President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Cambodia in April.
Beijing has helped fund an expansion of the Ream Naval Base on Cambodia's southern coast, raising worries it could become a strategic outpost for the Chinese navy in the Gulf of Thailand. Cambodia has repeatedly denied any agreement granting China special privileges or the establishment of a foreign military base.
Cambodian leaders have said warships from all friendly countries are welcome to dock at its new pier, provided they comply with certain conditions. Two Japanese naval ships and one from Vietnam docked last month at the base, and a Chinese vessel arrived at Ream on Monday to take part in the exercises.
A Cambodian military statement said the theme of this year's exercises is joint counter-terrorism operations and humanitarian relief. Among the equipment the militaries will use are reconnaissance and attack drones, surgical robots and robot dogs.
This year's exercise is the biggest in the series.
'We conduct this exercise only to exchange experiences, strengthen our ability to defend ourselves and be able to participate in building peace in the region and the world,' Cambodian army spokesperson Gen. Thong Solimo told The Associated Press.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
27 minutes ago
Ishiba Vows to Set Up Council for Regional Revitalization
Maebashi, Gunma Pref., June 7 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Saturday that he plans to establish a council tasked with helping promote regional revitalization led by the private sector. He hopes to include the plan, unveiled in talks with reporters during his visit to Maebashi, the capital of Gunma Prefecture, north of Tokyo, in a basic concept of his signature "Regional Revitalization 2.0" program. The envisaged council will be directly supervised by Ishiba, according to the prime minister. The basic concept is expected to be compiled this summer. "We'll consider the possibility of revising related laws while learning from the efforts being made in Maebashi" in order to help accelerate community building through public-private cooperation, Ishiba said. In Maebashi, Ishiba visited Jins Park, a regional interaction hub, which also includes an eyeglasses store. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Ishiba, South Korea's Lee May Meet during G7 Summit
Pool photo / AP South Korean new President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday. SEOUL (Jiji Press) — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung may hold their first in-person meeting during the Group of Seven summit to be held in Canada later this month. The South Korean presidential office said Saturday that Lee is slated to join the summit, at the invitation of the G7 side. Lee, who took office only on Wednesday, is thus expected to make his diplomatic debut at the summit. The meeting among leaders of the seven major countries — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — is scheduled to take place for three days from June 15. Lee has made harsh remarks toward Japan in the past. Recently, however, he has indicated a stance of putting weight on cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea, calling Japan an important partner of his country. The Japanese government apparently hopes to realize an Ishiba-Lee meeting at an early date so that the two sides can share their views on further developing the bilateral relationship. Also on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Lee may hold his first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Editorial: Japan needs bold new policies as births fell below 700,000 for 1st time in 2024
Japan's population decline is accelerating much faster than predicted by the government. The nation cannot afford to ignore this inconvenient truth. The number of births among Japanese citizens in 2024 stood at 686,061, falling below 700,000 for the first time since record-keeping began. The figure had dropped below 800,000 just two years earlier. The total fertility rate, defined as the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, also hit a record low of 1.15. Japan has spent the past 30 years implementing policy measures to tackle the falling birth rate. Yet, far from stopping, the decline continues to accelerate -- progressing about 15 years ahead of what the government previously considered a realistic scenario. At this rate, the country faces a shrinking workforce and consumer base, threatening to sap the vitality of society. The number of marriages has also dropped sharply, falling 40% from approximately 800,000 in 2001. Anxiety among young people about their futures is cited as one contributing factor. While overall employment conditions are improving, there remain significant wage disparities depending on company size and employment status. Additionally, rising housing costs in urban areas are straining household budgets. Improvements in wages and working conditions are urgently needed. The current situation in which domestic chores and child care responsibilities fall disproportionately on women must also change. Many women view marriage and childbirth as obstacles to building their careers. The administration of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida introduced what it called "unprecedented measures to reverse the declining birth rate," including expansions in child allowances and childcare leave benefits. While up to 3.6 trillion yen (about $24.8 billion) has been allocated, these policy initiatives largely remain extensions of previous ones, making their potential effectiveness uncertain. More fundamentally, the government must carefully reevaluate whether these moves meet the actual needs of the younger generation. Public perceptions regarding family and work have significantly evolved. Some young people feel a fundamental disconnect with Japan's marriage system, which effectively requires women to change their surnames, and with employment practices that assume long hours and frequent job relocations. Policymakers must begin by identifying these structural issues. If the current pace of population decline persists, the number of working-age people in Japan will drastically decrease, threatening the sustainability of public pensions. This could lead even more individuals to hesitate over life decisions such as marriage and having children, creating another vicious cycle. Policies based on outdated assumptions will undoubtedly fail to resolve these challenges. The government must adopt a sense of crisis and urgently take up bold new ideas and approaches.
