Djibouti

China Will Increase Its Defense Ties, Influence in Africa

China’s presence in Africa has been steadily growing and since establishing their first overseas military base in Djibouti, they are looking to expand their foreign military presence all across the continent.

The claim is to protect their national assets, where the Chinese government has dumped billions in economic assistance. But now, they’re looking to expand their influence in the military field as well, challenging the US at every turn.

In Djibouti, where Chinese companies have constructed strategic ports and Africa’s first electric transnational railway, Beijing last year formally launched its first overseas military base, which also operates as a logistics and intelligence facility. Many experts now anticipate more Chinese bases in the years to come, with Namibia rumored as a potential location.
Meanwhile in Tanzania, where the state-run conglomerate China Merchants Holdings International is hoping to invest in the Bagamoyo mega port, China built a complex designed to train local armed forces earlier this year. And, at the first-ever China-Africa Defense and Security Forum in Beijing on Tuesday, the communist state announced it will provide African countries with “comprehensive support” on matters such as piracy and counter-terrorism. That includes providing technologies, equipment, personnel and strategic advice, local media reported.
All that comes amid expectations for the U.S. to reduce troops in Africa under President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy, which is set to boost Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government as the dominant foreign power on the continent.
“In recent years, Chinese arms sales to Africa have surpassed the United States,” said Luke Patey, senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies: “In particular, Chinese small arms and light weapons have spread rapidly since China is less inhibited by selling arms to countries in the midst of conflict than Western providers.” That goes hand in hand with Beijing’s expanding military cooperation, he continued.
The world’s second-largest economy has long described Sino-Africa cooperation as a “win-win” arrangement — one that provides China with natural resources and African economies with badly-needed infrastructure. But while the flood of Chinese resources may be welcomed by the region’s cash-strapped governments, the fear is that increased capital could translate into political leverage.
In fact, many speculate that it was Beijing’s concerns over its investments that resulted in the 2017 coup that ousted Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe — a charge that Xi’s administration has denied.

The Chinese will no doubt look to expand their base in Djibouti as well as start exploring other avenues in the very near future. As the events in Zimbabwe showed, the influence of China and their willingness to project their force is a new, and unsettling threat to the West in the region.

To read the entire article from CNBC, click here:

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US Pilots Told to Beware of China’s Use of Lasers Near Airfield in Djibouti

United States military pilots have been warned to beware of possible laser attacks near China’s first overseas military base in Djibouti amid increasing signs of friction between the two armed forces in the Horn of Africa.

The military issued a Notice to Airmen, later reproduced on the US Federal Aviation Administration’s website, that there had been multiple events “involving a high-power laser” just 750 meters (2,400ft) from China’s base in Djibouti.

“Use extreme caution when transiting near this area,” the notice added.
Multiple intelligence sources reported that Chinese garrison in Djibouti is suspected of operating a high-power laser weapon to temporarily blind pilots at the base or on a ship offshore, according to a report in Jane’s Defence Weekly last month.
But Chinese military observers said the lasers might have been used to scare off birds near the airfield or disrupt possible spy drones, rather than targeting foreign pilots.
They also pointed out that China is a signatory to the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons, which bans the use of lasers that cause permanent blindness.
“The Chinese and US bases in Djibouti are really close, so one could disturb the other if the two sides don’t have a proper communication mechanism,” said Zhou Chenming, a Beijing-based military analyst.
Zhou noted that China has already publicly demonstrated its use of laser weapons against drones at air exhibitions.
As the US has increasingly eyes China as a strategic rival, the proximity of the two bases in Djibouti means the two sides will be involved in a “quiet contest” to gather information about each other, according to Ni Lexiong, a Shanghai-based military expert, although neither side “would announce this openly”.
Work began on the 36-hectare Chinese base in 2016, which was to be used a logistics hub to resupply vessels taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia. Weeks after the base opened at the start of August 1 the troops based there started live-fire drills.

The Chinese accused the Japanese of using frogmen attempting to gather information about their ships. The Japanese responded that they were simply doing maintenance on their own ships. But the Chinese are flexing their muscles across the Pacific and this situation will bear watching.

To read the entire article from South China Morning Post, click here:

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China in Military Showcases Global Expansion With Military Exercises

China established its first overseas base in Djibouti only a few months ago but the base has been a beehive of activity. Chinese state-run television showed images of armored vehicles firing cannons, and soldiers engaging targets as the Chinese continue to expand their influence around the world.

“The overseas troops will engage in regular military exercises just like troops serving [in China]. But their practice should soon have a different focus, rather than basic shooting training because their mission in Djibouti is to protect China’s interests in Africa, as well as peacekeeping,” Zhou said.
China’s overseas military expansion was the focus of a July Pentagon report, which said that Beijing may soon seek to establish a network of similar facilities around the world.
China first started constructing the Djibouti base in early 2015. Located near one of the world’s busiest shipping channels, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said the move would allow China to contribute to regional peace and stability, and extend its efforts to combat Somali pirates.
According to the Pentagon report, the Djibouti base, “along with regular naval vessel visits to foreign ports, both reflects and amplifies China’s growing influence, extending the reach of its armed forces,” and it may be the first of many such overseas bases.
“China most likely will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a longstanding friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan, and in which there is a precedent for hosting foreign militaries,” the report says.
In a landmark speech in 2015, President Xi Xinping said: “We Chinese love peace. No matter how much stronger it may become, China will never seek hegemony or expansion. It will never inflict its past suffering on any other nation.”

The Chinese are looking to push the US in an attempt to have the most influence in different parts of the world as their expansion of power and influence continues. The base in Djibouti is just the first of many new bases the Chinese government will open in the next few years.

To read the entire article from Newsweek click here:

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Chinese Troops Live Fire Exercise Show of Force in Djibouti

Chinese troops from their first overseas base took part in their first live-fire drills in a show of combat readiness. The exercise on Friday in the African country of Djibouti took place at the national training range and involved dozens of troops according to a People’s Liberation Army Navy press release.

Troops arrived at the base – China’s first overseas garrison – less than two months ago and the drill was meant to test the personnel’s capacity to handle a range of weapons and tasks in extreme heat, humidity, and salinity, the report said.

“This is the first time our soldiers stationed in Djibouti have left the camp to conduct combat training,” base commander Liang Yang was quoted as saying.
“The live-fire training will help explore a new training model for the [Chinese] overseas garrison.”
Footage aired by state-run CCTV showed PLA marine corps using various weapons – from pistols to automatic rifles, sniper rifles and machine guns – to fire at targets.
Beijing-based military expert Li Jie said the troops had to be on combat alert at all times because of the region’s complex political conditions and Djibouti’s geographic importance.

The Chinese also claimed that a PLA ship docked in Djibouti was probed by combat divers from a Japanese ship docked nearby. One of China’s official newspapers the Procuratorial Daily reported that the Chinese used strong lights and signals to drive away the Japanese divers.

The Chinese also claimed that the live-fire drills were a message to the local militias in the unstable African country “not to harass” the Chinese.

“Since the political situation in Djibouti is very unstable, the troops need to let local armed groups know of their combat strength. They need to tell them that the Chinese forces are there not only to set up the logistics base but must also be able to deal with all kinds of security challenges,”

To read the entire article from The South China Post, click here:

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China’s Base in Djibouti is Much Larger Than Previously Thought

China’s new base in Djibouti is much larger in scale than previously thought. The base has extensive underground space, multiple security layers but thus far, they’ve yet to begin construction of docks.

It is believed that until the Chinese build docks on their base, they’ll use the commercial docks available.

Two images provided by Stratfor Worldview and Allsource Analysis show the base in Djibouti, located at a strategic choke point on the Horn of Africa, to be heavily fortified with three layers of security and has about 23,000 square meters (about 250,000 square feet) of underground space, according to analysis provided by Stratfor.
“This type of construction is in line with known Chinese practices in hardening their military bases. The underground structures allow for unobserved activity, as well as offer protection to vehicles or facilities critical to the Chinese mission in Djibouti,” Stratfor, a geopolitical intelligence firm, said in an analysis accompanying the images.
China dispatched troops to the base earlier this month. The United States, France and Japan also have permanent military bases there, but Tack said those are not as heavily fortified.
It’s not clear how big the Chinese base is, but for comparison, the US base was expanded to 500 acres in 2007.
“Even though this is just one of those bases in Djibouti as several other countries have, China has taken it’s own methods into Djibouti,” Stratfor Senior Analyst Sim Tack told CNN.
China’s Defense Ministry has touted the base as a way for the People’s Liberation Army to help bring peace and security to the region by providing a means of carrying out anti-piracy operations and humanitarian assistance.
However an image from July 4 showed the Chinese had not yet begun building docks, which Stratfor called notable due to the bases aforementioned purpose.
“I wouldn’t say it’s irregular, but I would’ve expected to see a dock,” Tack said.
A dock will likely be constructed eventually, and China could use Djibouti’s commercial report until that time, according to Stratfor.
Analysts say the base is part of China’s efforts to establish a truly global naval force that’s capable of conducting operations around the world — a so-called “blue water navy” — though Chinese state media has pushed back on suggestions that Beijing will flex its muscles globally.

The Chinese are building hangars for helicopters and drones but they don’t appear large enough for fighter aircraft at this time.

To read the entire article from CNN, click here:

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