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New facilities in Laos and Cambodia: Is China expanding its military presence in Southeast Asia?
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.
In short
- 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.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The new facilities and expanded cooperation could give China a more durable role in Laos and Cambodia, improving its ability to train local forces, support military operations and build influence near strategically important routes. Even without proof of unrestricted access or permanent deployments, regular access to facilities can expand China’s options over time and may reasonably concern neighbouring states.
The case against
The facilities can be understood as limited defence cooperation that helps Laos and Cambodia train and maintain their own forces, rather than evidence of Chinese control or a major expansion of operational reach. Ban Keun’s runway cannot accommodate large Chinese bombers, the aircraft seen there are not confirmed as permanently based, and the terms of access at Ream remain unclear; these limits counsel against treating the developments as proof of a new Chinese military foothold.
Explained simply
Laos and Cambodia are neighbouring countries in mainland Southeast Asia, a region that also includes Vietnam and Thailand. China has long provided both countries with military equipment and training, alongside its wider economic and diplomatic ties with them.
Laos is landlocked, while Cambodia has a coastline on the Gulf of Thailand, near the South China Sea. Airfields and naval bases can support training and supplies, but their location alone does not show which forces can use them or under what conditions.
The issue matters because China’s relationships with nearby countries may affect the regional balance of influence and how other governments assess security around the South China Sea. Neighbouring states, including Vietnam, watch these ties closely, while the extent of any access depends on agreements between the countries involved.