Sihanoukville, July 26 Kyodo – Some 70 local and foreign journalists including Puy Kea, a veteran Cambodian journalist who works for foreign media, Kyodo News, were taken to the alleged site of a secret agreement between Cambodia and China on Ream Naval Base in Sihanoukville on Friday.

Answering a question from Fresh News reporter whether China needs to setup military base in the kingdom, Puy Kea stated that, “China does not need Cambodia’s military base, as they already possesses a huge base in the South China Sea of Southeast Asia.”

“It is a very small waterway here at Ream of Cambodia and that the water is too shallow for the Chinese navy to navigate,” he added.

Ouk Seyha, commander of Ream Naval Base said the coast of Ream Naval Base is just more than one kilometer and the water is between six and seven meters deep.

A veteran Cambodian journalist Puy Kea confirmed there is no Chinese military here at Ream, but for other sites, he could not comment.

Speaking at Ream Naval Base, Chhum Socheat, spokesman of Cambodia’s defense ministry said “you witness with your own eyes whether any part of this naval base is for Chinese?”

“We have nothing to hide. Cambodia is a small country and this area is also small while satellite can view everywhere,” he said, adding the “baseless allegation” of the secret deal with China is for other purposes.

Minister of National Defense Tea Banh reiterated that the Wall Street Journal's report on 21 July 2019 over the alleged Chinese military base in Cambodia aimed to destroy the kingdoms and regional peace, speaking Friday morning in Phnom Penh at the closing ceremony for training capsule on the United Nation peacekeeping mission.

"WSJ’s report has the worst intention to destroy security and peace in Cambodia and in the region,” the minister stated.

“The American officials and unprofessional journalists must study the constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, particularly on article 53, which states that the Kingdom of Cambodia maintains resolutely a policy of permanent neutrality and non-alignment. The Kingdom of Cambodia coexists peacefully with its neighbors and with all other countries throughout the world,” he added.
=FRESH NEWS