WASHINGTON — Cambodia said on Tuesday (Oct 1) the US Navy would be welcome to visit its Ream Naval Base, which the Pentagon is concerned will become a Chinese outpost.

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol told a think tank event in Washington that any country's military could call at the port once the naval base is completed.

"The Ream Naval Base is not for the Chinese. The Chinese provided us with the assistance to expand the Ream Naval Base for our own national defence, not to be used by the Chinese or any military against another country," Sun told the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

"When this naval base is completed, any navy can call on that port, as long as it's for humanitarian and disaster recovery, or joint military exercise," he said.

However, he advised the US Navy to bring small ships on any visit, "because the water is shallow. You might get stuck there," he said, when referring to the potential for a US Navy port call.

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