Cambodia Deepens Military Ties with China Amid Regional Tensions

BEIJING, China (Sept.19, 2025) — Cambodia and China reaffirmed their defense partnership this week as Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Tea Seiha met with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, in Beijing for high-level talks on military cooperation and regional security.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, comes amid heightened tensions along the Cambodia–Thailand border.

Gen. Seiha thanked China for its role in facilitating a ceasefire between the two Southeast Asian neighbors, praising Beijing’s support for dialogue and peace-building.

“China is Cambodia’s most trusted friend and reliable brother,” Seiha said, emphasizing the importance of joint military exercises, training programs, and capacity-building efforts.

Both sides pledged to deepen practical cooperation and build a Cambodia–China community of shared future, in line with strategic directives from their top leadership.

The Xiangshan Forum, held Sept. 17–19 at the Beijing International Convention Center, convened defense ministers, military chiefs, and senior officials from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and ASEAN. This year’s theme, “Common Security, Lasting Peace,” focused on strategic trust, multilateral defense cooperation, and conflict prevention.