AKP Phnom Penh, February 28, 2025 --

H.E. Gen. Chhum Socheat, Secretary of State and Spokesperson for Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence, has expressed full support for the statement made by H.E. Wu Qian, Spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defence, during a press conference on Feb. 27.

The statement refuted claims suggesting that military relations between Cambodia and China were experiencing tensions.

Through his official Telegram channel of H.E. Gen. Chhum Socheat this morning, H.E. Gen. Chhum Socheat emphasised that Cambodia and China are steadfast allies and iron-clad partners who have supported each other in both prosperity and hardship.

He underscored that the Cambodia-China military relationship continues to thrive, with ongoing fruitful cooperation that is consistently strengthened and expanded.

In particular, he highlighted the frequent joint military exercises between the two countries, which facilitate knowledge-sharing, experience exchange, and military technology transfer.

Among these exercises, the Golden Dragon joint drills have been conducted six times since 2016 and continue to grow in scale.

Additionally, the two countries have cooperated in joint military medical exercises, such as Peace Angel 2023.

In 2024, the Golden Dragon exercise was expanded beyond land-based drills to include maritime operations, focusing on hostage rescue from terrorist groups and counter-piracy operations involving commercial vessels.

Looking ahead, the Golden Dragon 2025 exercise is set to be even larger in scope, with an increased number of participating forces and advanced military equipment, reflecting the deepening defence collaboration between Cambodia and China.

The Cambodian and Chinese defence ministries are committed to further strengthening and expanding their military partnership, reinforcing their strategic cooperation in all aspects.

During a bilateral meeting with Chinese Defence Minister H.E. Dong Jun on the sidelines of the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in 2024, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister H.E. Gen. Tea Seiha reaffirmed Cambodia’s unwavering support for the One-China policy.

He also underlined that under the leadership of Cambodia’s Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Cambodia-China relations have continued to flourish, particularly in defence cooperation.

He acknowledged the significant progress made in military ties under the leadership of former Cambodian Defence Minister, Samdech Pichey Sena Tea Banh, and pledged to further enhance and expand this relationship.

Both Cambodian and Chinese leaders have expressed deep satisfaction with the current state of bilateral relations, describing them as unbreakable.

They affirmed that any attempts to undermine Cambodia-China relations would ultimately fail.

H.E. Gen. Chhum Socheat, Secretary of State and Spokesperson for Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence

H.E. Wu Qian, Spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defence

By K. Rithy Reak