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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsConfirmed: Construction Begins on China's First Overseas Military Base in Djibouti
http://thediplomat.com/2016/02/confirmed-construction-begins-on-chinas-first-overseas-military-base-in-djibouti/Last week, Chinas Ministry of Defense confirmed for the first time that construction on support facilities for the Peoples Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) in Djibouti, on the Horn of Africa, has started. Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Chinese defense ministry, said on Thursday that construction of infrastructure for the support facilities has started, and the Chinese side has dispatched personnel to Djibouti for relevant work. China has been careful to avoid describing its facility in Djibouti as a military or naval base, preferring to use the terms support facilities or logistical facilities instead. Djibouti hosts military and support facilities for the United States, France, and even Japans Maritime Self-Defense Forces.
According to Wu, China will use the bases primarily to ensure that PLAN ships carrying out anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, western Indian Ocean, and the Arabian and Red Seas are able to resupply and receive maintenance without making the long journey across the Indian Ocean to Chinese naval bases on the mainland. Wu added that the facilities will mainly be used for logistical support and personnel recuperation of the Chinese armed forces conducting such missions as maritime escort in the Gulf of Aden and waters off the Somali coast, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.
Reports regarding Chinas interest in a coastal base in Djibouti emerged for the first time early last summer, when Djiboutis president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, confirmed that Djibouti and China had entered talks on the possibility of a naval base in the port city of Obock, along the northern coast of the Gulf of Tadjoura. In November 2015, China publicly confirmed that it would establish a facility in Djibouti. In late Janaury 2016, the two sides reached consensus on the terms under which the facilities would be built. The time frame over which China conceived of and began the construction of this facilityhardly nine monthsis notable. Beijing could conceivably pursue similar initiatives with other Indian Ocean littoral states over a similar time span.
The optics of the establishment of Chinas first overseas naval base vary widely. China sees the addition of this facility at Djibouti as a development that will help its navy fulfill its humanitarian assistance, anti-piracy, and disaster relief missions in the area. Indeed, the PLAN has long been active against pirates off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden and, last year, after Saudi Arabia began a bombing campaign in Yemen, was involved in evacuating Chinese and foreigners alike. Obock, in particular, has hosted PLAN ships regularly. For Beijing, the Djibouti base is a testament to the PLANs increasingly global role as a provider of public goods on the high seas.
According to Wu, China will use the bases primarily to ensure that PLAN ships carrying out anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, western Indian Ocean, and the Arabian and Red Seas are able to resupply and receive maintenance without making the long journey across the Indian Ocean to Chinese naval bases on the mainland. Wu added that the facilities will mainly be used for logistical support and personnel recuperation of the Chinese armed forces conducting such missions as maritime escort in the Gulf of Aden and waters off the Somali coast, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.
Reports regarding Chinas interest in a coastal base in Djibouti emerged for the first time early last summer, when Djiboutis president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, confirmed that Djibouti and China had entered talks on the possibility of a naval base in the port city of Obock, along the northern coast of the Gulf of Tadjoura. In November 2015, China publicly confirmed that it would establish a facility in Djibouti. In late Janaury 2016, the two sides reached consensus on the terms under which the facilities would be built. The time frame over which China conceived of and began the construction of this facilityhardly nine monthsis notable. Beijing could conceivably pursue similar initiatives with other Indian Ocean littoral states over a similar time span.
The optics of the establishment of Chinas first overseas naval base vary widely. China sees the addition of this facility at Djibouti as a development that will help its navy fulfill its humanitarian assistance, anti-piracy, and disaster relief missions in the area. Indeed, the PLAN has long been active against pirates off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden and, last year, after Saudi Arabia began a bombing campaign in Yemen, was involved in evacuating Chinese and foreigners alike. Obock, in particular, has hosted PLAN ships regularly. For Beijing, the Djibouti base is a testament to the PLANs increasingly global role as a provider of public goods on the high seas.
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Confirmed: Construction Begins on China's First Overseas Military Base in Djibouti (Original Post)
Recursion
Mar 2016
OP
edhopper
(33,543 posts)1. Sorry
China is a World power and has as much right as we do to build bases in allied countries.
I don't like China flexing it's military muscles. But they have the same right to do so we do.
Chasstev365
(5,191 posts)2. If Only Donald Trump was the President!
They wouldn't DARE build a base with Trump in office. He loves the Chinese and the Chinese love him because they know how tough he is. It boggles the mind as to how many simpletons can listen to the type of crap he might say and buy it.