People's Liberation Army Support Base in Djibouti

People's Liberation Army Support Base in Djibouti
中国人民解放军驻吉布提保障基地
Near Balbala in Djibouti
Naval ensign of China
Naval ensign of China
Naval ensign of China
Coordinates11°35′15″N 43°03′39″E / 11.58747°N 43.06082°E / 11.58747; 43.06082
Area0.5 km2
Site information
OwnerCentral Military Commission
Operator People's Liberation Army Navy
Controlled by People's Republic of China
Site history
BuiltMarch 2016 (2016-03)
In useAugust 1, 2017; 7 years ago (2017-08-01)
Garrison information
Current
commander		Liang Yang
Occupants1,000–2,000 navy personnel
People's Liberation Army Support Base in Djibouti
Chinese中国人民解放军驻吉布提保障基地
Literal meaningChina People Liberation Army in-Djibouti Support Base
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Zhù Jíbùtí Bǎozhàng Jīdì

The People's Liberation Army Support Base in Djibouti is a military base operated by China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), located in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. It is the PLAN's first overseas military base and was built at a cost of US$590 million.[1] The facility is expected to significantly increase China's power projection in the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean, as well as the PLAN's blue water capabilities.[2][3][4]

The People's Liberation Army Navy has used the base to conduct anti-piracy operations off of the coast of Djibouti and around the Horn of Africa. It is also expected to take part in activities such as intelligence collection, non-combat evacuation operations, peacekeeping operations support and counterterrorism.[5][6] As of 2017, the base commander is Liang Yang.[7]

Djibouti is strategically situated by the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Gulf of Aden from the Red Sea and guards the approaches to the Suez Canal. The Chinese base is located by the Chinese-operated Port of Doraleh to the west of Djibouti City. To the south of the city are several other foreign military bases, including Camp Lemonnier (United States Navy),[8] Base aerienne 188 (French Air Force),[9] and the Japan Self-Defense Force Base Djibouti.[10][11]

  1. ^ Zhou, Laura (April 17, 2017). "How a Chinese investment boom is changing the face of Djibouti". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. About half an hour's drive west of the restaurant, a Chinese military base is surreptitiously taking shape near the dusty construction site of the China-funded, US$590 million Doraleh Multipurpose Port.
  2. ^ Paice, Edward (May 30, 2017). "Djibouti Wins Jackpot – Renting Out Desert for Military Bases". The Cipher Brief. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  3. ^ Huneke, Douglas (April 19, 2017). "The Ghost of Zheng He: China's Naval Base in Djibouti". University of California, Berkeley. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017.
  4. ^ Jacobs, Andrew; Perlez, Jane (February 25, 2017). "U.S. Wary of Its New Neighbor in Djibouti: A Chinese Naval Base". The New York Times. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  5. ^ Sun, Degang; Zoubir, Yahia H. (July 4, 2021). "Securing China's 'Latent Power': The Dragon's Anchorage in Djibouti". Journal of Contemporary China. 30 (130): 677–692. doi:10.1080/10670564.2020.1852734. ISSN 1067-0564. S2CID 229393446.
  6. ^ Sucui, Peter (May 11, 2020). "China's Naval Base in Africa Is Getting Bigger. Is a Network of Bases Next?". The National Interest. Retrieved November 20, 2020. So far China's military involvement in the Horn of Africa has mainly consisted of anti-piracy missions, but it is believed it could support other key missions including intelligence collection, non-combat evacuation operations, peacekeeping operations support and counterterrorism.
  7. ^ Chan, Minnie (September 25, 2017). "Live-fire show of force by troops from China's first overseas military base". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
  8. ^ "Remote U.S. base at core of secret operations". Washington Post. October 26, 2012. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  9. ^ "Les forces françaises stationnées à Djibouti". www.defense.gouv.fr. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  10. ^ "防衛省、ジブチの自衛隊拠点を来年度拡張 基地建設の中国に対抗". Newsweek日本版 (in Japanese). Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  11. ^ Pieper, Dietmar (February 8, 2018). "Geopolitical Laboratory: How Djibouti Became China's Gateway To Africa". Spiegel Online.