Japan to Provide Defence Equipment to Cambodia

Japan will provide defence equipment worth 500 million yen (approximately Rp55.3 billion) to the Cambodian military through Tokyo’s security assistance programme designed to support partner nations, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. In providing the first defence equipment to Cambodia through the ‘Official Security Assistance’ programme, Japan will send communication devices to the Cambodian army and patrol boats to its navy, the ministry said in a press release. The two governments held a signing ceremony for the bilateral agreement in Phnom Penh that morning. ‘Contributing to improving Cambodia’s security capabilities and to peace and stability in the region will be highly significant in strengthening security relations between the two countries,’ the ministry said. Through the Official Security Assistance programme launched in 2023, other Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have been selected as recipients. The move comes amid China’s growing military influence in the Southeast Asian country, which has seen China fund the expansion of the Ream Naval Base on the Gulf of Thailand, which has previously hosted visits by Chinese warships.