A Change of Guard

សូមស្តាប់វិទ្យុសង្គ្រោះជាតិ Please read more Khmer news and listen to CNRP Radio at National Rescue Party. សូមស្តាប់វីទ្យុខ្មែរប៉ុស្តិ៍/Khmer Post Radio.
Follow Khmerization on Facebook/តាមដានខ្មែរូបនីយកម្មតាម Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/khmerization.khmerican

Saturday 4 April 2015

Chinese influence in Cambodia grows with army school, aid

A Chinese army advisor puts rank on Cambodian army graduates during a graduation ceremony at Army Institute in Kampong Speu
A Chinese army advisor (C) puts rank on Cambodian army graduates during a graduation ceremony at Army Institute in Kampong Speu province March 12, 2015. REUTERS/Samrang Pring

By Aubrey Belford and Prak Chan Thul
THLOK TASEK, Cambodia (Reuters) - When Defence Minister Tea Banh addressed graduates last month at Cambodia's prestigious Army Institute, he directed his thanks to the guests who made it all possible: a group of crisply dressed officers from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The institute, established in 1999 around 80 km (50 miles) from Phnom Penh, is part of China's rising military aid to Cambodia. Interviews with serving officers and a senior Cambodian government official shed light on how far the school's influence has grown in recent years.
Military aid, alongside arms sales and billions of dollars of investment, have strengthened China's ties with Cambodia, and analysts see it as part of a push to extend regional influence, including in the disputed South China Sea.
During his speech at the institute in Kampong Speu province, Tea lavished praise on the "luxurious" facilities - a rarity for Cambodia's often ramshackle armed forces.
Addressing the Chinese, he added: "We are grateful to them for understanding our difficulties."
Since 2009, roughly 200 cadets have been admitted annually to four-year courses devised by China's Defence Ministry and Chinese advisers who oversee a local teaching staff, three officers said.
This includes compulsory six month stints at military academies in China.
The 190 students who graduated in March were the third such cohort from the school.
"Graduates have already been put into influential positions, including the head of army brigades," said the senior government official, who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject.
"They're in fighting forces in positions where they can make decisions."
The school also admits about 200 students a year for a shorter six month course.
The official said China paid for the majority of the institute's construction and covers most of the operating costs.
About half of all Cambodia's officer trainees now come through the institute, according to an officer with close knowledge of the school, who also declined to be named.
"LONG TERM STRATEGY"
The institute appears to be China's first attempt to build a large-scale facility of this kind in Southeast Asia, said Carl Thayer, a Southeast Asia security expert at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
"For China, it's the beginning of a long-term strategy of winning influence in the Cambodian military by cultivating these people. And China keeps very, very deep intelligence files on everybody," he said.
"Nowhere in Southeast Asia is the Chinese influence as great as what you're talking about."
The growth of the school comes amid a significant rise in Chinese arms sales and military aid to Cambodia. China also invests billions into the country's economy.
In 2013, Cambodia took delivery of 12 Harbin Z-9 helicopters using a $195 million Chinese loan. The next year, it received a donation of 26 Chinese trucks and 30,000 military uniforms.
Chinese-funded construction at the school has proceeded apace. Since an infusion of funds in 2002, more than 70 buildings have been erected on the roughly 148 hectare (366 acre) site, according to an institute document seen by Reuters.
Officials at Cambodia's Defence Ministry did not respond to requests from Reuters for comment for this article.
China's Defence Ministry said in a statement responding to questions from Reuters that it would "continue to increase its level of support for the institute, to help the Cambodian side raise its teaching abilities and level of personnel training."
"This aid has no political conditions attached, and will not harm the interests of any third party," it said.
SPLITTING ASEAN?
According to Lao Mong Hay, an analyst and adviser to Cambodia's opposition, China's military largesse contributed to Cambodia, as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2012, playing spoiler in efforts by Southeast Asian states to create a maritime "code of conduct" with Beijing.
"The strategic interest of China is also to split ASEAN, and Cambodia is used for this purpose," he said.
Military aid also counterbalances the influence of Vietnam, Lao added.
Vietnam, embroiled in a row with China last year over an oil rig Beijing parked in disputed waters, has long provided training to Cambodian soldiers and police, as well as military equipment. The neighbours' navies conduct regular joint patrols.
Chinese aid dwarfs that of the United States, which cancelled delivery of 200 surplus military vehicles in 2010 after Cambodia deported a group of Uighur asylum seekers to China in late 2009.
Two days after that deportation, China and Cambodia signed deals worth an estimated $850 million.
In 2013, Cambodia announced the suspension of some military cooperation with the United States after criticism by American lawmakers of Cambodia's elections.
Washington made available around $1 million for military financing and training in Cambodia in 2014, according to the State Department, and 12 Cambodian military personnel received training in the United States on human rights and "maritime capacity building."
Meanwhile, graduates of the Chinese-funded Army Institute are moving up the ranks.
"They want us to see China as a superpower that helps Cambodia in times of crisis," said an officer graduate, posted on Cambodia's volatile border with Thailand.
(Additional Reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington and Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Begin of Drgunzet's comment.

"A Chinese army advisor (C) puts rank on Cambodian army graduates during a graduation ceremony at Army Institute in Kampong Speu province March 12, 2015. REUTERS/Samrang Pring"

Wow, this is so wrong. So now Chinese are bossy to Cambodians.

In Vietnam, the Cambodian officers who studied in Vietnamese Academy and Military Institution only received degrees from Vietnam. Cambodian commands put on the stars from them, not Vietnamese.

-Drgunzet-

Anonymous said...

There are differences between Vietnamese instructors & PLA instructors.

1. Vietnamese taught Cambodian military candidates on how to plan military strategies and at the same time brainwashed them about been loyal and friendships to the Viet Cong bosses. Vietnamese also kept reminding those Khmer candidate about how much Cambodian owed Vietnamese volunteer people army sacrificed to invade us late 1977 invasion until faked 1989 withdrawn. Viet also teach those Khmer to be aggressive toward Khmers who were unfriendly to Vietnam. The Viet also brainwashed those Khmer that Hun Sen/CPP is Cambodia savior. Those who trained in Vietnam accepted that Vietnamese are the boss and superiors. Pathetic training= puppet ! Lol


2. PLA advisors taught Khmer on real modern military strategies. Taught on country military duties to protect it's territories.TO SAFEGUARD THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT NATION. To protect major populations and government. Keep watch on foreigners interventions and terrorists. The PLA also taught those Khmer how to effectively maximize Chinese arms hardware. At the same the PLA provided a much needed military hardwares to update those old obsolete junks that was given by Viet invaders. Also, Cambodian royal armed forces can use PLA commanders expertise & professionalism. Most RCAF commanders are Youn's agents or Cambodian with Vietnamese idelogy anyway. PLA only care that CambodiaN as their close ally ALWAYS, support one China policy & support China rightfully claimed on the South China Sea territories. Cambodia is a small and weak state and we need a very reliable, dependable WORLD SECOND SUPERPOWERS HELPS TO KEEP YOUN & SIAM HANDS OFF CAMBODIA KANDAL. GO CHINA

Anonymous said...

Yup, Khmerization is totally trash!
NO question about it - still wanna frequent it?

Anonymous said...

It don't matter how many million comments are being deleted/expunged or the comment box itself is being disabled, the fact remains that 'Khmerization/School of Vice/DrGunZet's' is one of the same???

Still wanna frequent 'Khmerization'???

Anybody?

Anonymous said...

Begin of Drgunzet's comment.

When I wrote my short comment @5:02 pm, I base it on the facts, the picture in the thread article and a news clip on Youtube.

I have no direct connection to either Vietnamese Military Academy in Vietnam or the Chinese Military Academy in Cambodia. So, I could not write much more about them.

A Khmer poster @3:13 am wrote so much about both Vietnamese and Chinese Military Academies as if the person actually attended both. But I don't think so.

This is a typical behavior of Khmer people. They just make up factsfrom thin air, then spew them out as actual facts blatantly, silly. They are very delusional indeed.

-Drgunzet-

P.S. Once I adopted German culture, honor, I discarded so much of my bad Asian behaviors I learned in Asia. I treat my mind with respect. I will not tolerate crappy information, lies, distortion, biased and crazy opinion to enter my mind.

I suppressed my desire, preventing my wants, my craves to distort the truth. I started to have Whites ethical standard and principles.

Thus I became a reborn person, a real person. Before that I was born an inferior creature, desperate for survival, little petty things. For most of my childhood, I fought like animals over little food, little dispute.

Only the superior Whites rescued my soul and thus I was born again, with my mind freed.

Anonymous said...

drgunzet you get jealousnoe eh. now big bro chine on the scene and youns can't compete for nothing. That's too bad for youn. At very least we have big bro chine flexes muscle for in Cambodia.
Only the superior Whites rescued my soul and thus I was born again, with my mind freed.
I think you are sick minded asshole not a freed spirits being at all.


Anonymous said...

Begin of Drgunzet's comment.

During 1975 - 1978, the reign of terror under Khmer Rouges, there were thousands of Chinese advisers in Cambodia.

When I was in the labor team with 3 Khmers, I was asked a question "Do you think it was the plan for Chinese to wipe out the Khmer then colonize Cambodia?"

I replied "That's an outrage plan, the world will not stand for it. China cannot get away and will not dare to carry out such a plan."

Then I cautioned, "To be sure if China was actually carrying out such a plan, China would have started to move hundred of thousands Chinese colonists over." Then I added, "You don't kill everyone, create a vacuum. It is safer to use overwhelming numbers to control."

I assure you, there are two kinds of Khmers:

1. The Khmer who were Khmer Rouges and relatives of Khmer Rouges. They were much better off than everyone else. They had power and can take women, rape girls with no consequence.

2. The other Khmers, and especially the Khmer who served under Lon Nol, or had light-skin, wearing eye-glasses. They were so abused or outright murdered. And these Khmer hated China very much.

If you don't hate China then you belong to the first group of Khmers, the Khmer Rouges and relative groups.

-Drgunzet-

P.S. As we can see on the forum, the second group of Khmer are generally afraid of the first group of Khmer. Point and case: There are Khmers who swore profanities, vulgarity and wrote nasty murderous comments, true to the style of Khmer Rouges.

Any time a forum admin deleted those offending comments, the first group of Khmer went nuts. And we can see the second groups of Khmer were very afraid of the first group, "Please, stop misbehaving or Drgunzet will copy your comments and post on other races' forums."

Kmenhwatt used to write about how my older brother used to abuse me when I was still in my mother's womb. I used such comment as evidence to show that Cambodia really needs help from Vietnam and must be put under control of Vietnam.

Kmenhwatt disappeared now a day. I wonder what happened to him.

My objective is simple: World Peace. And it means Vietnam must help and control Cambodia.

If you don't want to be controlled, then improve yourselves. I really hate to see B-52 bombers mass-carpet you folks again, and then Vietnam does a armor rush, crushing Khmer down.

Anonymous said...

5 April 2015 9:52 am

You sound like Yuon's spy. That 's how Yuon Killed Khmer by accusing them as Yuon.

You combine Khmerization, SOV, and the real Yuon GunZet as one person. Your stinky mouth is to demoralize any Khmer who has worked hard to protect Khmer interest.

Now I see that asshole who unfairly chastised Khmerization in the first place was YOU.

93 Years Old Woman

Anonymous said...

Khmer Chen are deep within the Khmer population. It's a scary thought when you realize Cambodian is so weak & poor which have to depend & are deeply effected by China foreign policies in the name of protecting Khmer border. Last time I check, they used & forced Sihanouk to go on radio & empower the lowly KR into victory. We have to learn to protect ourselves within being puppets to another countries of whom using our hatreds toward Yuon to diverse the real issues.

Anonymous said...

Youn= school of vice= traitor

Anonymous said...

I rather join China then ASEAN. Khmer are puppet of ASEAN to.ASEAN is a tool to buffer China. Without china, all of you will speak French or German.

Anonymous said...

It's very sad to know that vietnam taught cambodian soldiers. Vietnamese are hypocritical; what they want is to swallow Cambodia and Laos in order to form an indochinese federation dominated by vietnam. I met, a few years ago, a vietnamese student coming from north vietnam preparing a PhD. He claimed that vietnam is fighting in front line against China with Cambodia and Laos behind vietnam in this struggle. But I responded him that Cambodia is not involved in the dispute between vietnam and China. If vietnam wants to fight against China, it can do it alone. That's why if vietnam teaches cambodian soldiers, the only things they can teach are:
1. vietnam is a big brother of cambodia; Cambodia must be grateful toward vietnam by allowing vietnamese settling freely in Cambodia.
2. Cambodia must hate China as do vietnam.
That's why it's a grave mistake to permit vietnam teach Cambodian soldiers.
Cambodia is a small country of 15 millions people. It's sandwiched between vietnam of 93 millions in the east and Thailand of 67 millions in the west. Currently Cambodia is fighting for its survival as a nation, a state, a country. The most dangerous country for Cambodia is vietnam. As every body know, vietnam has annexed Kampuchea Krom, Koh Tral and is encroaching upon Cambodia's territorial integrity along ist eastern border. Vietnam is not abandonning its ambition of forming, according to Ho chi minh's wish, a indochinese federation including Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam dominated by vietnam. In this respect, the only power who oppose this indochinese federation is China. Because China doesn't want vietnam become stronger. If vietnam becomes stronger, it will create problems for China by claiming the China's Paracel and Spratly islands. United States don't oppose the indochinese federation because Unites States are vietnam's ally because their interest is to counter China. And in this undertaking they need vietnam. Mr Lao Mong Hay is right by stating that "China military aid counterbalances the influence of vietnam". Even Mr Sam Raingsy, president of CNRP thinks like that. I think, for the national interest, any cambodian leader thinks like that.
In conclusion, for its survival as a nation inside its territorial integrity, and for its national interest, Cambodia needs to attain two objectives:
1. National unity which requires national reconciliation,
2. Help from a superpower who has the interest to counter the vietnamese influence. This superpower is China. We cannot rely on Unted States in this undertaking because Unites States are vietma's ally.