The Royal Cambodian Army announced on Friday that it will resume joint military exercises with the United States early next year, marking a significant shift after the partnership was suspended for almost a decade. The decision to restart the drills, which were halted in 2017, follows a series of high-level meetings between defense and government officials aimed at mending strained bilateral relations.
According to the official announcement posted on the Royal Cambodian Army’s Facebook page, the two nations have scheduled a joint operation titled “Exercise Angkor Sentinel 2027,” set to take place in February. The initiative is intended to bolster “interoperability and disaster-response capabilities,” while signaling a renewed momentum in Cambodia-U.S. military cooperation and a shared commitment to defense engagement.
This diplomatic progress comes despite ongoing friction between the two countries. Washington has frequently raised concerns regarding Cambodia’s close political and economic ties with China, particularly regarding China's military presence at a naval base on the Gulf of Thailand. While the United States has voiced suspicions that Beijing was granted special and secret privileges at the upgraded base, Cambodian officials have consistently denied these claims. Furthermore, the U.S. has remained critical of Cambodia’s human rights record, specifically citing the suppression of political dissidents through legal actions that rights groups argue are influenced by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party of Prime Minister Hun Manet.
Despite these tensions, recent high-level engagements have focused on repairing ties. On August 14, Prime Minister Hun Manet met with Elbridge A. Colby, the Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of War, to discuss bilateral relations and defense matters. Following that meeting, Hun Manet expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in the relationship, emphasizing that these exercises serve as a “vital bridge to foster close friendship” between the armed forces of both nations.
In a separate development during August, U.S. Navy Adm. Steve Koehler, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, held talks with the Commander-in-Chief of the Cambodian Armed Forces, Gen. Vong Pisen. During their discussions, the two leaders also outlined plans to revive a bilateral maritime exercise that had similarly been suspended in 2017.
