China’s Security Presence in

Mainland Southeast Asia

Carlyle A. Thayer
Presentation to Webinar
The Regional Impact of PRC Security Presence
in Mainland Southeast Asia
Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies
December 10, 2020
 Overview China Security Presence
• Mekong River joint patrols
• China-Cambodia
• Dara Sakor Airport/Koh Kong port/Ream Naval Base
• Annual Golden Dragon joint military exercises
• China-Vietnam
• Annual joint border exchanges
• Naval patrols in the Gulf of Tonkin
• Coast Guard patrols in joint fishery area
• Vietnam’s Relations with Laos and Cambodia
Joint Command
Center, Guan Lei

Area of patrols from

Guan Lei, China to
Chiang Saen, Thailand
1st Joint Patrol, December 2011
71st Joint Patrol
June 2018

Total for first 87 patrols:

13,700 officers (125 avg) and
724 vessels (8 average_
 Dara Sakor
International Airport,
Koh Kong

3.4 km runway
Koh Kong Port
Ream Naval Base
2019
4th Annual China-Cambodia Joint Golden Dragon
Military Exercise, March 2020
 5th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange
5th Cao Bang province, November 2018
 5th Vietnam-China Border Defence Friendship Exchange,
Cao Bang province, November 2018 disaster relief exercise
VPN and PLAN conduct 28th joint patrol in the
Gulf of Tonkin in June 2020
1st Vietnam-China joint fishery patrol in 2020
between China and Vietnam Coast Guards
in Gulf of Tonkin (April)
Vietnam’s Relations with Laos and Cambodia
• Laos
• Border Guard cooperation
• Military assistance – offices
• PME – Staff College and refresher courses
• COVID assistance
• Cambodia
• Border Guard cooperation
• Maritime patrols
China’s Security Presence in
Mainland Southeast Asia
Carlyle A. Thayer
Presentation to Webinar
The Regional Impact of PRC Security Presence
in Mainland Southeast Asia
Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies
December 10, 2020