Japan to Provide Defence Equipment to Cambodia

Tokyo (ANTARA) - Japan will provide defence equipment worth 500 million yen (approximately Rp55.3 billion) to the Cambodian military through Tokyo’s security assistance scheme designed to support partner nations, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday.

In providing its first defence equipment to Cambodia under the “official security assistance” programme, Japan will deliver communication devices to the Cambodian army and patrol vessels to its navy, the ministry said in a press release.

Both governments held a signing ceremony for the bilateral agreement in Phnom Penh earlier in the day.

“Contributions to enhancing Cambodia’s security capabilities, and to peace and stability in this region, will be highly significant in strengthening the security relationship between the two countries,” the ministry said.

Through the official security assistance programme launched in 2023, other Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines have been selected as aid recipients.

The move comes amid growing Chinese military influence in the Southeast Asian nation, which has prompted China to fund the expansion of the Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand, which has previously received visits from Chinese warships.

Source: Kyodo-OANA