Cambodia is about to receive tens of thousands of Chinese weapons

The rare revelation of Beijing's arms deal came just days after Phnom Penh refused a secret deal to allow Chinese warships to use Cambodia's naval base.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on July 29 that his country bought weapons from China to modernize the armed forces.

According to Channel News Asia, the disclosure of rare weapons deals with Beijing took place just days after Phnom Penh refused a secret deal to allow Chinese warships to use the naval base. of Cambodia.

"I ordered the purchase of tens of thousands of additional weapons," he said, but did not explain what his country had bought. "They are currently being transported (to Cambodia)," he added.

"I want to strengthen the army," Hun Sen said in a speech delivered live on Facebook.

The Cambodian leader said $ 40 million was used this year in addition to $ 290 million in previous arms deals with China.

He made the statements during a trip to the construction site of a Chinese-funded stadium in the capital, Phnom Penh, which he called a "gift" from Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China has spent billions of dollars on preferential interest rates, infrastructure and investments in Cambodia in an effort to compete with US influence in the country.

Military relations between Cambodia and China have become the focus of attention after US concerns and a news report on a secret deal that allows Chinese forces to use the Cambodian naval base.

The Wall Street Journal last week reported on a draft agreement that allowed China to access the Ream base near Sihanoukville to dock warships and store weapons.

Cambodia tried to dismiss the information on July 26 by taking dozens of reporters to visit the base.

Prime Minister Hun Sen repeated the above denials in his latest statements and called this information "slander".

Base Ream is strategically located in the Gulf of Thailand and allows easy access to the disputed South China Sea area.

The US embassy in Phnom Penh questioned the possibility of storing foreign military assets there.