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| General Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army (L), and Cambodia’s Deputy Defence Minister Moeung Samphan (R) shake hands after signing an agreement, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post |
24 January 2013
By Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post
One day before today’s inauguration of a Chinese-funded military institute in Kampong Speu, China’s top brass met with their Cambodian counterparts to pledge increased military assistance.
Yesterday’s meeting between General Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army, and Defense Minister General Tea Banh, among others, was just the latest in a series of overtures offered to the Kingdom’s armed forces.
While details of a memorandum of understanding signed yesterday were not available, Banh told reporters that the government requested more military training and equipment from China.
“This will contribute to assisting RCAF to increase its capacity in the national defence sector,” he said.
Today, Prime Minister Hun Sen is set to inaugurate the Phnom Sruoch district facility, an extension of the Combined Arms Officer School Thlok Tasek, another Chinese-funded initiative dating back to 2002.
“We are pleased to support Cambodia for national development,” Qi told reporters yesterday.
At today’s ceremony, Qi and Hun Sen will address a class of Cambodian infantrymen who recently completed training in China.
The inauguration comes just days after Cambodian military officials announced a small fleet of Chinese-made Z-9 choppers would arrive within months.
The growing defence cooperation is unsurprising, said political scientist Carlyle Thayer, an emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales.
“[The institute] makes for a breakthrough in China’s defence cooperation in Southeast Asia... China already trains limited numbers [of Southeast Asian officers] at their higher defence university... which is similar to the model the US has done,” he said.
“This is an opportunity for China to shape the future of Cambodia’s military.”
In the late 1990s, Hun Sen’s eldest son, two-star general Hun Manet, became the first Cambodian to be enrolled at the elite US Military Academy at West Point.
But while the US has traditionally been the major provider of military aid (funding tripled last year to $18.2 million), China is increasingly making inroads, said Thayer.
“You now have the US and China competing for Cambodia,” he said.
“It makes China the second-most important player.”
10 comments:
មុខអាពួកផ្កាយអស់នេះយួនសុទ្ធទាំងអាចមទាំងនោមតែម្ដង ។
look at him. Cambodia army "Generals" are fat pigs.
I think this is a very positive move by China to engage Cambodia in rebuilding Cambodian military power. As most Cambodian people knew a long time ago, Thailand and Vietnam want a weaker Cambodia. It is easy for Thailand and Vietnam to manipulate Cambodian politically, economically, and militarily. If China can help Cambodia to become a strong nation that can tip the balance of power in Southeast Asia between Thailand and Vietnam and the Cambodian new found military capability will bring stability to the country which will help Cambodia to fully develop with much interruption and it won’t be long Cambodia will acquire political and economic capability too.
A weaker Cambodia will always to be a country at the mercy of Thailand and Vietnam whether in economic or in military. Cambodia is nothing more than a useless country that totally depends on Thailand and Vietnam for human resources, goods and services and Cambodia will have to trade their natural resources such human labor and raw material in exchange.
Cambodia needs stability to become industrialized nation and to acquire full capability in all fields as not to be victimized by Thailand and Vietnam! But at the same time Cambodia must accommodate Uncle Sam and after all Uncle Sam is still the main ally of Thailand and Thailand is a country that continues to threaten Cambodia stability with war.
I personally, don't oppose the help of China for training Cambodian soldiers in Cambodia, but please don't forget in the Khmer army it has lots Vietnames speaking Khmers and wearing Khmers uniform na.
If China will really to help to be strong, China must first control the political situation in Cambodia very and please don't do like in the Pol Pot's period again. We Khmers have had a best relation with China since for more then 2000 years ago and both people have never created the violence each other.
U.S is watching this closely but I think the main objectives of People Republic of China ( PLA ) assistances are:
1. To have a capable strong ally in the middle of Southeast Asia close to Indian Ocean gateway to Pursian Gulf and beyond.
2. A strong Cambodian to keep Vietnamese uneasy ( counter Vietnamese power in SE)
3. To shape Cambodian military into a Chinese doctrines ( strong military to military relationships)
4. Access to Cambodia's natural resources, small but emerging economy.
5. A favor owed to all those years Cambodia unwavering supported PRC through different Cambodian regimes.
6. King Father Norodom Sihanouk hard earned relationships with many Chinese's top leaders.
We are playing a dangerous games again, but this time we do it the right way. Our enemies don't have any others Cambodian who are strong enough to destabilize our country. We MUST support PRC 100% and can still be friendly and accommodation to America. We must build a strong sustainable economy. We MUST have a neutral, professional, well trained, well equipped armed forces ( not necessary quantity BUT QUALITY).
Our government MUST reformed ( CPP and Hun Sen can still be our leadership as long as they reform and enforce these laws) We MUST be strong, friendly to our thief neighbors. We MUST protect our territories, our civilian populations.
I love to hear China and USA compete for sexy Cambodia. This make possible in part because of sexy Cambodia go around begging for all kinds of supports.
Cold war between China and USA is getting start to take shape in Cambodia. It still in embryos form but will getting to into fetal shape and a baby at last in the next 15-20 years slowly but surely.
How Cambodian will get the result. It can be the same situation of 1970 generation or series of multiple coup E'tates tic-tac changing hands between China and USA. Advice: Saving the money, deposite in Swiss bank/Singapore or Aussie banks and else, and leave ASAP.
All the Cambodian soldiers are Hun Sen security guards. Hun Sen no needs to pay back the China loans because he is in debts.
Don't hate my conclusion, to me, Cambodia is a land up for grab. Either Chens, Youns, or Siams will get some or all of it. It's a part of the downfall of the Khmer Empire. Cambodia is in its last breath.
Is present day Cambodia walking down the path of the Khmer Rouge all over again?....kind of scary to give China such a big foot hole in the country.
Why would you need outsider to develop your military?
Didn't Hun Manet graduated from West Point? Isn't military affairs his specialty?
Cambodia will always be weak militarily until it starts to treat its people right. The people is the backbone military strength.
You wish mother fucker, as long as one Khmer still alive we will not let you fucker Siam or Youn live in peace. It's like Thai lady boys or hooker swallows white man you know what.
Before we take our last breath we will take you with us mother fucker. Make you our slave in the after life just like your ancestors were Khmer's slaves.
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