General Ronald P. Clark (left), commander of the US Army Pacific, meets with Prime Minister Hun Manet on February 24. STPM
General Vong Pisen, commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), has requested that the US restart the joint “Angkor Sentinel” military exercises, which were last held in 2016.
According to a February 24 statement from the RCAF General Command, Pisen met with General Ronald P. Clark, commander of the US Army Pacific, earlier that same day.
Clark is paying a February 24-25 official visit to Cambodia to strengthen military cooperation.
During his visit, he has already met with Prime Minister Hun Manet and held in-depth discussions with General Mao Sophan, deputy RCAF commander-in-chief and commander of the Royal Cambodian Army.
“Pisen requested a review and discussion on the possibility of resuming joint military training, such as the 'Angkor Sentinel' exercises, which have been suspended since 2017.
He also emphasised continuing cooperation in the spirit of friendship, including intelligence sharing to combat transnational crimes, counterterrorism efforts and ongoing missions to locate and repatriate the remains of missing US service members in Cambodia,” added the general command statement.
Analysts expect that Clark’s visit will enhance US-Cambodia military relations and help clarify concerns regarding alleged China's military presence at the Ream Naval Base.
Pa Chanroeun, president of the Cambodian Institute for Democracy, noted that the US general’s visit follows positive signs of improved US-Cambodia relations, particularly in military cooperation, at the end of 2024. He saw the visit as an opportunity to reinforce ties that had previously declined.
He expected discussions to cover military cooperation, security, regional peace and humanitarian operations in maritime areas.
He also believed that the occasion is a step towards further collaboration and could help ease any tensions between the two countries.
However, he emphasised that the visit’s success depends on high-level military discussions between both sides.
Kin Phea, president of International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, stated that both Cambodia and the US should have held frank discussions during this visit to address past mistrust. He suggested that Cambodia should clarify US concerns about the Ream Naval Base, as the US suspects Cambodia has granted exclusive access to China’s navy.
“Through this visit, the US should understand Cambodia’s explanation. The US has previously sent diplomats, military officials and other representatives to inspect Cambodia’s naval base.
“I believe Cambodia is the only country on the globe that has allowed foreign nations, including the US, to inspect its military bases. The US itself might not do the same,” he said.
