China granted Cambodia about $19 million in
defence aid yesterday as part of a military agreement signed between the two
countries.
The
pledged funds came less than 24 hours before Chinese Defence Minister Liang
Guanglie is scheduled to speak at the ASEAN Defence Ministers meeting,
ostensibly to explain the country’s stance on the disputed South China Sea.
ASEAN
members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, along with China and
Taiwan, claim portions of the resource-rich body of water, and it has been a
flashpoint of conflict for years.
In
recent weeks, the temperature has heated back up, with China and the
Philippines sending boats to a disputed reef that both countries claim.
“It is
good that is he is going to explain China’s stance directly to ASEAN defence
ministers,” Cambodian Minister of Defence Tea Banh said in explaining
Cambodia’s decision to invite China’s top-ranking defence official to speak.
Calls
to the embassies of Vietnam, the Philippines and China seeking further
clarification about today’s meeting were not returned yesterday.
Last
week, representatives from ASEAN countries polished a draft of a Code of
Conduct governing relations in the South China Sea.
The
final version is due to arrive in China over the summer.
The
military agreement was signed after a closed-door bilateral discussion between
Tea Banh and China’s Guanglie.
Guanglie
came to Cambodia on Sunday for a four-day official visit. He is also scheduled
to meet with Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Tea
Banh said that China will continue to support members of the Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces who train in the country.
“Chinese
assistance is greatly contributing to building Cambodian army’s capacity in
national defence, and the military co-operation between China and Cambodia has
really improved,” Tea Banh said.
He also
reaffirmed Cambodia’s stance to support the “One-China” policy, in which China
claims sovereignty over Taiwan.
Vong
Sokheng
The
Phnom Penh Post
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