Cambodia’s army to resume joint military exercises with the US next year

Cambodia’s army says it will resume joint military exercises with the United States early next year after a decade-long suspensionBySOPHENG CHEANG Associated PressSeptember 4, 2026, 9:45 AMPHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia ’s army announced Friday that it will resume joint military exercises with the United States early next year after they had been suspended for almost a decade.The announcement on the Facebook page of the Royal Cambodian Army came after several recent meetings of the countries’ top defense and other officials intended to patch up rocky relations. Cambodia halted such exercises with the U.S. in 2017.The army’s statement said the two countries have agreed to hold a joint drill, “ Exercise Angkor Sentinel 2027,” in February. The news suggested the two sides made progress in overcoming their differences, including Washington’s concerns about Cambodia’s close economic and political ties with China.The exercise aims to strengthen “interoperability and disaster-response capabilities, reflecting renewed momentum in Cambodia–U.S. military cooperation and a shared commitment to strengthening defense cooperation,” said Friday’s statement.Washington...