DARA SAKOR, CAMBODIA — China's construction of an airstrip in Cambodia is raising alarms about its military ambitions, according to the New York Times.<br /><br />Bloomberg reports that Beijing now controls 20 percent of Cambodia's coastline via the lease of Dara Sakor, where a contractor is building an airport, a deep water port, medical facilities and a resort.<br /><br />According to the New York Times, the Chinese claim the Dara Sakor airport — which will feature the longest runway in Cambodia — is a civilian facility.<br /><br />However, the newspaper reports that the construction's scale and its tight turning bays which accommodate fighter jets point to a military purpose.<br /><br />China-based Union Development Group holds the 99 year lease to the Dara Sakor investment zone.<br /><br />Citing political scientist Sophal Ear at Occidental College, the New York Times reports that China's construction of the airport is to project power in the region. <br /><br />According to the New York Times, the construction in Cambodia is likely a move to further Beijing's military strategy known as the "string of pearls."<br /><br />This strategy involves establishing infrastructure and military bases that stretch from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean and beyond.
