For the first time in 8 years, a US Navy ship makes a port call in Cambodia, a top Chinese ally

Associated Press

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (AP) — A U.S. Navy warship has arrived in Cambodia, the first such visit in eight years to a nation that is China’s close ally in Southeast Asia. Cambodia’s government has suggested the port call reflects an upgrade in often-strained relations. The USS Savannah, carrying a crew of about 100, docked Monday at the port of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand for a five-day visit. The United States for many years has had rocky relations with Cambodia, criticizing its government for political repression and human rights violations. There is particular concern about its close ties with China, which Washington fears may get exclusive access to a Cambodian naval base on the Gulf of Thailand.