U.S. ends military academy progamme for Cambodia amid strained ties
Reuters
2 minute read

PHNOM PENH, July 1 (Reuters) - The United States has ended its programme with Cambodia to send students to top American military academies, a U.S. embassy official said on Thursday, marking the latest sign of strains in the relations between the two countries.

Washington has been concerned over China's growing military presence in Cambodia, with the Southeast Asian country becoming one of Beijing most important allies in the region.

The decision to end the programme had been made after Cambodia had ended some areas of military cooperation, U.S. Embassy spokesman Arend Zwartjes said.

"Following Cambodia's curtailment of cooperation in several areas of traditional bilateral military-military engagement, the country lost its eligibility for the U.S. military service academy program," Zwartjes told Voice of America (VoA).

Zwartjes said, however, Cambodian students currently enrolled in U.S. military academies would be permitted to complete their undergraduate programmes.

"The United States has encouraged the Government of Cambodia to assist its students with remaining tuition costs," Zwartjes said.

Some elite members of Cambodian society, including HM, the oldest son of Prime Minister HE, have in recent decades graduated from the prestigious U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

HM is now a deputy commander and joint chief of staff of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF).

Chhum Socheat, a spokesman at Cambodia's defence ministry, and government spokesman, Phay Siphan, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the issue.
Reporting by Prak Chan Thul Editing by Ed Davies
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-paci ... 1/?rpc=401&

bummer
My take is that this finalises the discussions with the US Sec of State last week. and exemplifies their nature.

Despite preliminary positive expressions, it soon became pretty clear during that visit, that the new Biden administration was not interested in trying to make friends any more.
Their insistence on inspecting Ream Naval base made that point perfectly obvious. It was a demand that no country would ever agree to.
In turn, that attitude probably/for sure, is in response to Cambodia's intransigence about its relationship with its new patron .

America seems saving it newly remembered friendships for those ASEAN countries who will maybe challenge youknowwho and youknowwhoelse within that crucial forum.

Damm!!
but I suppose it has been shaping up that way for a while, so no big surprise here
Still, it is very unfortunate. It will affect us expats as well, in various ways.

Zwartjes said, however, Cambodian students currently enrolled in U.S. military academies would be permitted to complete their undergraduate programmes.

"The United States has encouraged the Government of Cambodia to assist its students with remaining tuition costs," Zwartjes said.

Who was paying them before, the US government or the Cambodian government?

Asking the latter nicely to start to stump up the fees might not work.

Either way, if relations between Cambodia and the US is so bad, they should not be accepting any students for any subject. Same goes for Chinese students, they should not be enrolled in any university in the west, and especially not sciences.

Let them educate their own. Nobody sends their best and brightest to China do they?

John Bingham wrote:

Doc67 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 8:47 am

Zwartjes said, however, Cambodian students currently enrolled in U.S. military academies would be permitted to complete their undergraduate programmes.

"The United States has encouraged the Government of Cambodia to assist its students with remaining tuition costs," Zwartjes said.

Who was paying them before, the US government or the Cambodian government?

Asking the latter nicely to start to stump up the fees might not work.

Either way, if relations between Cambodia and the US is so bad, they should not be accepting any students for any subject. Same goes for Chinese students, they should not be enrolled in any university in the west, and especially not sciences.

Let them educate their own. Nobody sends their best and brightest to China do they?

I believe the US was. In the past couple of days there was a report that the RGC would now be picking up the bill so the program is not ended. I'm out and on a phone so I'm not going to find the link.

.

Sent from my CPH2159 using Tapatalk

Yes, it has ended (and yes, US was footing the bill). Cambodian government will now pay the remaining 1.1million for the six cadets to complete their education there. Either way, good on the US. I don't see why they should bother accepting any new Cambodian students given the way the Cambodian government has aligned itself.

[Love the wording in the above: "US obligations in waiving tuition fees" LoL]

They probably noticed the flash expensive cars roaming the streets of PP on thier last visit

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 4:00 pm Yes, it has ended (and yes, US was footing the bill). Cambodian government will now pay the remaining 1.1million for the six cadets to complete their education there. Either way, good on the US. I don't see why they should bother accepting any new Cambodian students given the way the Cambodian government has aligned itself.

[Love the wording in the above: "US obligations in waiving tuition fees" LoL]

Good for them. They should not accept any more either, paying or not.