# New facilities in Laos and Cambodia: Is China expanding its military presence in Southeast Asia?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/new-facilities-in-laos-and-cambodia-is-china-expanding-its-military-presence-in-southeast-asia/
- Published: 2026-11-14T11:24:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-14T12:23:46+00:00
- Original publisher: DW (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.dw.com/en/new-facilities-in-laos-and-cambodia-is-china-expanding-its-military-presence-in-southeast-asia/a-79944798?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
- Topics: Asia, World

## Key points

- China and Laos have opened a joint military training centre.
- China also expanded its presence at Cambodia’s Ream naval base.
- The extent of China’s future access remains uncertain.

## Summary

China is strengthening military cooperation with Laos and Cambodia, raising concerns among neighbouring countries that its military access and influence in Southeast Asia may be growing. Analysts say the developments could give China greater strategic reach towards the South China Sea, but caution that they do not yet demonstrate Chinese military control or unrestricted access.

China and Laos opened a joint support and training centre at Ban Keun airfield near Vientiane in September, initially for training Laotian pilots. Cambodia’s Ream naval base, where China expanded its presence in 2025, is used for logistics and training, though the terms of access for other navies remain unclear. Ban Keun’s runway is 2,000 metres long, too short for large Chinese bombers, and satellite images showed eight Chinese-made K-8 aircraft there in October, without confirming they are permanently based at the site.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.