Chinese and Thai marines take part in the opening ceremony for a joint military exercise in Sattahip Naval Base, Chon Buri province, Thailand, on May 21, 2016. Thai and Chinese marine corps held an opening ceremony for a joint military exercise codenamed Blue Strike 2016 here on Saturday. (Xinhua/Li Mangmang)
Ian Storey, SCMP: Chinese arms: cheaper than US, no strings attached. Thailand is sold
* Beijing has filled a void in Thailand’s arms imports since Washington scaled back cooperation after the country’s 2014 military coup
* But the United States remains Bangkok’s most important security partner and Thailand is keen to strike a balance between the two powers to meet its needs
In Southeast Asia, Washington’s loss is often Beijing’s gain, and the Thai military might be seen as the latest example. Since the country’s 2014 coup, Thai-China military ties have gone from strength to strength. America’s negative response to the armed takeover saw the administration of former US president Barack Obama cut US$4.8 million in financing for Bangkok’s acquisition of US defence equipment, services and training. Washington also cancelled or downsized joint military exercises.
Amid the cooling ties, Thailand’s ruling junta sought out China to fill the void. Sensing an opportunity to increase its influence in the kingdom and undermine the US-Thai alliance, China responded positively, just as it has done with many other nations in similar situations.
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WNU Editor: I guess selling arms at a cheaper price also helps. Thailand is also not the only country that has recently embraced China .... Saudi Arabia Escalated Its Missile Program With Help From China (June 6, 2019).
