中国艦２隻、カンボジアに寄港　合同軍事演習で

【シアヌークビル（カンボジア）ＡＦＰ＝時事】中国との過去最大の合同軍事演習を実施中のカンボジアで１９日、中国海軍の艦艇２隻がシアヌークビル港に寄港した。（写真は、カンボジア・アヌークビル港で、停泊の準備をする中国海軍の訓練艦「戚継光」）
　１６日に１５日間の予定で始まった演習の一環。演習には中国側は軍人７６０人、カンボジア側は約１３００人と艦艇１１隻が参加している。
　シアヌークビル港にほど近い、かつて米国などからの資金援助で建設されたリアム海軍基地では現在、中国の支援を受け拡張工事が進められている。
　タイ湾に面した同基地は係争海域である南シナ海に近いため、米政府は、中国政府が戦略拠点として利用する恐れがあると懸念している。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】

〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/05/20-19:15）

Two Chinese warships docked in Cambodia on Sunday as part of the biggest-ever joint military drills with the Southeast Asian nation, with Beijing's ambassador hailing their ironclad friendship.
Cambodia has long been a staunch ally of China and has received billions of dollars in investment.
Washington is growing increasingly concerned Beijing will use a Cambodian naval base it is upgrading on Gulf of Thailand to expand its influence in the region.
On Sunday the training ship Qijiguang and amphibious warfare ship Jinggangshan docked at Sihanoukville as part of 15 days of land and sea drills involving 760 Chinese military personnel along with around 1,300 Cambodians and 11 Cambodian vessels.
The Qijiguang bore a banner reading Bring peace and friendship to meet good friends as it approached the port.
We are ironclad friends, Chinese ambassador Wang Wentian told reporters on the shore.
China-Cambodia military cooperation was conducive to the security of both countries and to the security of the region.
At Ream, a few kilometres along the coast, China has been funding the renovation of a naval base originally built partly using US funds.
Two Chinese warships docked at Ream in December for the first time after work began to expand the base.
Washington says Ream could give Beijing a key strategic position on the Gulf of Thailand near the disputed South China Sea, which China largely claims.
Last year, Cambodian officials denied a new 363-metre (1,190-foot) pier at Ream was intended to berth aircraft carriers.
Where the Chinese navy goes, we bring friendship, we bring cooperation, no others, ambassador Wang said in response to a question on concerns over Beijing's growing influence.
At the start of the drills on Thursday China's military showed off its hardware including so-called robodogs -- remote-controlled four-legged robots with automatic rifles mounted on their backs.
Handlers kept the dogs of war on the leash, demonstrating only their walking capabilities to watching journalists and top brass -- not their shooting skills.
The drills follow a three-day visit by China's top diplomat Wang Yi to Cambodia in April to deepen ties between the two countries.