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| Africa Horn |
| China to set up naval base in Djibouti – next to US airbase |
| 2015-11-28 |
| Beijing plans to set up a naval facility in Djibouti, East Africa, to boost counter-piracy and peacekeeping efforts, officials say. The future Chinese installation will be near a US airbase reportedly used for the Pentagon’s drone operations. Beijing is currently in talks with Djibouti’s government to build a naval facility to support the Chinese Navy’s counter-piracy and peacekeeping missions in the region, China’s top officials told media. They carefully avoided calling the installation a “military base” similar to those maintained by the US worldwide. Spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry Hong Lei says the “support facilities” will provide “logistical support” to fuel, rest and re-supply Chinese Navy ships, addressing possible speculations the port will boost Beijing’s military expansion in the strategically vital Horn of Africa. “The construction of the relevant facilities will help China’s navy and army further participate in UN peacekeeping operations, carry out escort missions in the waters near Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, and provide humanitarian assistance,” he told a daily news briefing on Wednesday, Reuters reports. Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Wu Qian also spoke at a monthly news conference, mainly repeating the Foreign Ministry’s comments, but he added an important detail: “China wanted to play a greater role in ensuring regional peace and stability.” The announcement comes as Beijing prepares to play a greater role in the world by modernizing its military and navy, and making significant contributions to UN peacekeeping all over the globe. Currently, China is a major provider of peacekeeping troops to Africa, where it has huge economic interests, having invested some $40 billion in the continent over the last 15 years. Beijing also faces public pressure to protect its citizens overseas, especially after four Chinese were killed by terrorist groups in Syria and Mali last week. It may also need to evacuate its nationals as it did in Libya in 2011 and Yemen in March. At the same time, Beijing is pushing to build-up a so-called “blue-water navy” able to operate in oceanic waters with a global reach. Over the past few years, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned its first aircraft carrier, “Liaoning,” originally laid down in 1988 for the Soviet Navy. Similar naval programs to build state-of-the-art warships and nuclear submarines are also underway. A former colony of France, Djibouti already hosts the United States’ only African permanent military base at Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport. Called Camp Lemonnier, it accommodates the Pentagon’s African Command (AFRICOM) and is used for CIA drone operations. Djibouti is a gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, and has been used by international navies – including China’s – as a base for anti-piracy from neighboring Somalia. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 ..the Chinese authorities probably won't agree because 1) the question becomes 'how come they can afford it and we can't' and 2) how come this sh!t isn't sold back home too? #2 is real. Jackie Chan was doing a movie in New Mexico and in an interview said he like spending time in the home improvement big box stores cause they had stuff made back home but no one could find there. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2015-11-28 08:18 |
| #4 Perhaps they could establish a Joint-BX, since nearly everything in ours is MADE IN CHINA anyway. Think of the cost savings due to shipping. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2015-11-28 05:33 |
| #3 FYI FREEREPUBLIC > [AFP] LARGE CHINESE Air = PLAAF] FLEET FLIES NEAR JAPAN ISLANDS: MEDIA. Coming soon enuff to Guam's Camel Rock, like China's "White ships". Lest we fergit, YEAR 2020 = BESIDES OKINAWA MARINES MOVING TO GUAM, IS ALSO THE BENHMARK OR SYMBOLIC YEAR CHINA IDEALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE US PULLOUT OR FALL BACK FROM EAST ASIA-WESTPAC TOWARDS HAWAII-EASTPAC + US WEST COAST, vee "SHARING THE PACIFIC" = 1/2 of the Pacific [WestPac]by 2020 NLT 20125. CHINA = US HAS NO STATES WEST OF HAWAII IN EASTPAC, ERGO US HAS NO REAL INTERESTS IN WESTPAC + SHOULD GIVE UP ITS ISLAND TERRITORIES TO BEIJINNG. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2015-11-28 03:04 |
| #2 Hypothetially, a similar scenario could occur iff SHTF between the US + China in the SCS, ECS, + over Taiwan, etc. + concessions have to be made in order to avoid protractive or Nuclear conflict. China could get the CNMI while the US keeps Guam, wid one or either side forced to accept a much-reduced mil presence. As myself + Perts have said, HOW POTUS OBAMA RESPONDS TO CHINA IN EAST ASIA-PACIFI MAY ROVE MORE DANGEROUS TO US INTERESTS THAN WHAT HE DOES VEE RUSSIA + IRAN. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2015-11-28 02:55 |
| #1 Heh. It is gonna be just a giant listening post aimed squarely at the US operations. |
| Posted by: Nguard 2015-11-28 00:46 |