China shows off machine gun-wielding war robot dogs in Cambodia

The training included live-fire exercises, anti-terrorism training, and humanitarian and rescue drills. Apart from its scale, the highlight of the training was the presence of several Chinese drones.

China’s “robodogs” are the stars of the show

By far, the show’s star is China’s armed “robodogs.” These four-legged, remote-controlled drone soldiers came equipped with back-mounted machine guns. While the drones were reportedly not live-fire tested, China did show off their mobility by watching Cambodian top brass and journalists.

Opening the exercises, the Cambodian armed forces commander-in-chief, Vong Pisen, stated that they (the robodogs) would “enhance the capabilities” of the two armies in the fight against terrorism.

Vong Pisen also stated that Cambodia would never permit a foreign military base on its territory, reiterating previous claims by Cambodian leaders. However, this appears to be contradicted by the fact that China has recently been renovating the Ream naval base near the Cambodian port city of Sihanoukville.

This base was partly built with U.S. funding and had hosted US military exercises in the past. Two Chinese warships arrived at Ream in December last year, marking the first visit since the base expansion began.

Cambodia’s defense ministry last week confirmed the two Chinese warships anchored at Ream were “to help train Cambodian naval personnel and to prepare for the Golden Dragon exercises.”

A spokesperson stated that the Chinese vessels were conducting tests near the “Ream Naval Base that China is building for Cambodia” and refuted the idea of Chinese troops being stationed at the base. As reported by the Cambodian army, a third Chinese warship arrived in Sihanoukville on Monday, carrying troops and materials for the exercises.

This has worried officials in Washington who claim that Ream could provide Beijing with a crucial strategic position near the disputed South China Sea, on the Gulf of Thailand.

Washington worried about recent developments

Cambodia has long been a strong ally of China, receiving billions of dollars in investments. Washington is becoming increasingly concerned that Beijing will use a Cambodian naval base, which it is upgrading on the Gulf of Thailand, to expand its influence in the region.

Last year, Cambodian officials denied a new 1,190-foot (363-meter) pier at Ream was intended to berth aircraft carriers.

Earlier this week, Thong Solimo, a spokesman for the Cambodian army, informed reporters that the 2024 exercises were the largest of their kind and that China would be covering the costs.

The first “Golden Dragon” drills took place in 2016. In early 2017, Cambodia canceled a similar joint exercise, “Angkor Sentinel,” which had been conducted with U.S. forces for the previous seven years.