Why revival of US-Cambodia drills is ‘good news’ for Southeast Asia

The revival of US-Cambodia military exercises after an eight-year hiatus signals Washington’s renewed interest in Southeast Asia and offers Phnom Penh a chance to rebalance its strategic ties beyond Beijing, according to analysts.

The long-frozen Angkor Sentinel drills will resume following a meeting between US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and his Cambodian counterpart on the sidelines of a regional security summit in Malaysia last week.

The drills were suspended in 2017 after Washington raised concerns about democratic backsliding in Cambodia. That year, the Supreme Court dissolved the main opposition party, arrested its leader on treason charges and banned more than 100 senior opposition figures from politics.

Analysts say the resumption reflects a broader shift in American foreign policy under President Donald Trump, who has prioritised strategic engagement over democracy promotion in parts of the Indo-Pacific.

“This is good news for Southeast Asia as it reflects Washington’s continuous interest in the region, and its willingness to engage with Cambodia,” Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a researcher at the Australian National University, told This Week in Asia.

US and Cambodian forces during the Angkor Sentinel drills in 2016, in Cambodia’s Kampong Speu province. The drills are being revived after an eight-year hiatus. Photo: US Army
US and Cambodian forces during the Angkor Sentinel drills in 2016, in Cambodia’s Kampong Speu province. The drills are being revived after an eight-year hiatus. Photo: US Army

The defence chiefs also discussed the possibility of Hegseth joining a future US naval ship visit to Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, according to a readout.

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