China, Cambodia Kick Off Joint Military Drills to Boost ‘Ironclad’ Partnership

The armed forces of Cambodia and China began joint exercises on May 16 involving 2,000 troops and 14 warships, as the two allied nations are seeking to strengthen their “ironclad friendship” and defense cooperation. Maj. Gen. Thong Solimo, spokesperson for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), told reporters that the “Golden Dragon” joint drill “will be even larger than before” and it will run through May 30. More than 1,300 Cambodian soldiers and over 700 Chinese troops, as well as three Chinese and 11 Cambodian warships are participating in the joint drill, he said. “The exercise will feature live ammunition firing, an annual bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and China aimed at exchanging experiences,” Gen. Solimo said at a press briefing, the Khmer Times reported....