The HMAS Perth arriving in Sihanoukville on Sept 2 for a three-day port of call. - Defence ministry
PHNOM PENH: A Royal Australian Navy vessel is paying a three-day port of call at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port from Sept 2-4.
The visit, by the frigate HMAS Perth, is part of efforts to deepen regional partnerships through the recently announced Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024 (IPE 2024).
The IPE 2024 was launched in Sri Lanka in mid-August. It aims to strengthen diplomatic and defence engagement with 14 nations across South-East Asia and the North-East Indian Ocean, through a series of activities which will be carried out over five months.
The planned activities range from military exercises and training to cultural exchanges, with a focus on topics including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, gender issues, peacekeeping and security.
The 14 nations include Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, according to the Australian defence ministry.
The HMAS Perth’s previous port of call was Indonesia. The ship is an ANZAC-class frigate, a long-range vessel capable of air defence, surface and undersea warfare, surveillance, reconnaissance and interdiction. Captained by Ben Dalton, it has a crew of around 190.
The Australian delegation is led by Commodore Michael John Harris, the seventh of the IPE 2024 commanders, according to the Preah Sihanouk provincial administration.
“We have arrived in Cambodia and docked at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port. This will be a great opportunity for our crew and our Cambodian counterparts to get to know each other,” Harris was quoted as saying.
“This is our second mission since 2021, after which they were paused due to Covid-19. This trip, although a short one, will give us the opportunity to form excellent connections with the people and navy of Cambodia, and we will get the opportunity to learn more about Cambodian culture,” he added.
According to the commodore, another small naval team will arrive in six weeks for more joint exercises with Cambodian forces.
Preah Sihanouk provincial deputy governor Long Dimanche told The Post that this is the 16th visit by an Australian naval vessel since 2003.
“What the administration can say is that this is great cooperation between the navies of Australia and Cambodia. This cooperation will lead to the sharing of skills in rescue operations and combating maritime crimes. All of these are important,” he said.
The delegation was welcomed by Ream Naval Base commander Mey Dina, as well as Yun Min, secretary of state of the Ministry of National Defence and former governor of Preah Sihanouk province, on Sept 2, with a welcome dinner aboard the HMAS Perth.
One of the most anticipated activities was a friendly beach volleyball match between sailors from both navies.
The game, played today, ended with a victory for the Cambodian side, said the National Committee for Maritime Security.
Kin Phea, director of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, told The Post that both the visit and the activities that will be carried out will strengthen the cooperation between the two sides.
He noted that while many western countries are suspicious of Cambodia’s relations with China – with some speculating that the Ream Naval Base, which is currently under improvement, will be used by China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy – the Australian visit would be unlikely to assuage such concerns.
“The suspicions surrounding this matter are actually unfounded, but it is like the Khmer saying ‘It is hard to awaken one who pretends to be asleep’,” he said.
“The allegations surrounding Ream Naval Base are part of a geopolitical strategy being pursued by the West. By alleging that Cambodia has military links with China, they are trying to send a message, telling China that it must not extend its military power in the ASEAN region,” he explained.
He added that Cambodia has suffered a lot from the struggles between superpowers in the past, and acknowledged that remaining neutral is not easy when the various superpowers are in competition for influence over the region.
Nevertheless, he noted positive progress in various aspects of the relationship between Cambodia and Australia, although some differences remain over the two countries’ views on human rights and democracy. He urged both countries to work closely with each other, based on each individual cooperative sector.
“The fact that some matters are viewed differently by the two nations should not be a cloud that covers the good relations between them” he said. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
