Global Markets
Home›Global Markets›Trade & Tariffs›Cambodia to restart US joint drills next year after Pe…
Cambodia to restart US joint drills next year after Pentagon talks
Officials discussed restarting the Angkor Sentinel exercises, alongside expanded training and military reforms, following Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby's meetings in mid-August.
Cambodia plans to restart joint military exercises with the United States next year, a development described by analysts as a pragmatic reset of defense ties that have been strained since 2017, though not a shift away from China, according to SCMP Economy.
SCMP Economy reports that Cambodian media said senior officials from both countries discussed restarting the Angkor Sentinel drills last weekend, along with expanded training and military reforms.
The announcements followed a visit by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s under secretary of defence for policy, to Phnom Penh for meetings with Prime Minister Hun Manet and Defence Minister Tea Seiha on August 14 and 15.
According to SCMP Economy, Bora Chhay, a policy analyst and managing director at BowerGroupAsia’s Cambodia practice, characterized the move as a significant but pragmatic reset.