Thread by @AndrewSErickson

Revealing spotlight on #China's emerging #PLA #Naval facility in #Ream, #Cambodia!

Glad to support @nakashimae & @catecadell's exposé @WashPost.

This will be hot topic at #SLD22 where I'm honored to be a delegate. Let's see what officials say! @IISS_org

washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

Ships adding up—

"#China’s #navy is already the world’s largest by #s of vessels. The @USNavy has 297 battle-force ships..according to @CRS4Congress, while China has 355 & is projected to have 460 by 2030, according to last year’s @DeptofDefense report."

washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

But, said Andrew Erickson, research director of the @ChinaMaritime Studies Institute @NavalWarCollege, “as impressive as those numbers are, without a significant network of robust overseas facilities, their ability to use them falls off rapidly w distance from China.” #Ream #Base

"#Djibouti was a logical 1st step for a military outpost..in a region far from China in which BJ wants to have a presence, in this case to secure its growing #MiddleEastern energy interests, Erickson said. Also, the US, France & Japan have long had military bases there, he noted"

“The question then becomes, how do you start filling out the board?”

#Cambodia is “a no-brainer” in that #HunSen, PM since 1985, is “extremely amenable,” Erickson said, noting that the #Cambodian leader has had a long strategic partnership with #Beijing.

washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

#MyTake—

“But the problem is #Cambodia is a small country in a tough spot.”

“It’s trying to have it both ways: maximum strategic collaboration with #China with minimum regional pushback. That contradiction is going to be #exposed by the undeniable development of this facility.”