China handed over a batch of military equipment to the Ministry of Defense on Saturday that officials said they would use strictly for training, including spare parts and trucks mounted with rocket launchers.
As Cambodia’s most generous military aid donor—as well as its biggest investor—China made the handover at a ceremony in Kompong Speu province at the Army Institute, itself the product of Beijing’s largesse, according to a recent Reuters report.
Anti-aircraft guns are displayed during a ceremony marking China’s donation of military equipment to Cambodia at the Army Institute in Kompong Speu province on Saturday. (Khem Sovannara)
“The receipt of the special military material today from China’s Defense Ministry is another historic achievement among the assistance that the Chinese government has provided Cambodia’s Defense Ministry,” Lieutenant General Chao Phirun, who heads the ministry’s materials and technical services department, said at the ceremony.
“For the assistance received this time, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces will use it for training to strengthen the military sector,” he said.
Defense Minister Tea Banh was also on hand to inspect the donations, along with China’s ambassador to Cambodia, Bu Jianguo.
The package comprises 44 vehicles, including jeeps, rocket-launcher mounted trucks and at least a half-dozen anti-aircraft guns mounted on wheels. The inventory also includes 20 forklifts, four mobile kitchens, some 2,000 kg of unspecified chemicals and 10,000 kg worth of spare parts. A 500-square-meter training center was also on the list.
Lt. Gen. Phirun said the items would be used specifically to train three of RCAF’s special forces units to, among other things, go after illegal fishermen and cross-border traffickers. He did not specify which units would benefit.
Defense Ministry officials on Sunday either declined to elaborate on the latest donations or could not be reached. Chinese Embassy spokesman Cheng Hong Bo referred questions to secretary of the embassy’s military attache, who said he was not authorized to speak with the media.
China makes regular donations of equipment to Cambodia, including at least 20 trucks to the army last year and $300,000 with which the Interior Ministry pledged to buy supplies for its police forces from China.
Critics have questioned the cost of Cambodia’s growing military ties to China, including its support for Beijing in its disputes over the South China Sea.
2 comments:
Thank you China for your kindness donation to poor cambodia.Cambodia and China will remain being best friend forever.I hope China and Cambodia will stay close with each other forever.But please China we need you to help developing Cambodia economic too.The most important thing China is the one that Cambodia need to make sure Cambodia is not swallowed by evil Vietnamese.Keep going China,Cambodia always stay by your side for your conflict against Vietnamese.South China sea or Paracel islands ,spratly islands are all for yours not Vietnamese.Bravo China long live China-Cambodia friendship.
These are impressive military AAA guns for a country like Cambodia. Cambodia had those guns already but these probably newer and more advance. Cambodia really needed to upgrade her SAM units like the Buk-M2E SAM system or Chinese HQ-9 SAM System . Our sky is open for all to violate . No air protection from any potential enemies that fly high and fast like (Thailand's J-39 Gripen, F-16A etc. etc. and Viet's Su-27KV, Su-30KV etc. etc.) If our neighbors decided to use these fighter bombers none of our military bases, airports, naval assets, infrastructures will be safe. Those of you who said that oh! Cambodia don't needed all these expensive SAM systems but it will be a lots more expensive when everything we built perished. There is still a small chance that one day we could be in armed clashes with these neighbors despite ASEAN integration because Viets and Siam are always stealing our territories unchecked. Operate these SAM systems that I had mention needed a lots of training. Also a more survivable 155MM artillery systems a MUST. Our BM-21 MLRS are sitting duck if Siam start using their Sweden build AWAC ground searching radar. The 155mm French Caesar artillery (guided 43 km max. rang) systems Siam had can return fire and destroy those BM-21 MLRS (unguided 30-45 km max. rang)we had. Cambodia army can't withstand a full invasion by any of our neighbors including Laos. Those 3 clashes that we claimed victory with Siam were just small local clashes not full invasion.
Post a Comment