China has signed a deal to open a military base in Djibouti. Above, Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh (R) and Chinese President Hu Jintao hold talks after a welcoming at the Great Hall of the People, July 18, 2012, in Beijing. Diego Azubel-Pool/Getty Images
Epoch Times: China Starts Building Military Base In North Africa
The Chinese regime has begun construction on a military base in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, that will be used to extend the reach of its military.
“Currently, construction of infrastructure for the support facilities has started, and the Chinese side has dispatched personnel to Djibouti for relevant work,” said Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, in a transcript of a Feb. 25 press briefing.
Qian said logistical support will be among the base’s main uses. He claimed the Chinese regime would use it for missions to escort ships through the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast, and for “peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.”
According to other Chinese officials, however, the base could be the start of a more nefarious agenda.
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WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction .... this is not going to be the last base that China will be establishing in Africa.
2 comments:
China ships a lot of oil from Sudan, and it also runs its own anti-piracy patrols in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. China in general is active in Africa. Seven years ago China surpassed the United States as Africa's largest trade partner, and that spread has increased. China invests in local infrastructure for commodity advantages, and doesn't meddle in interior affairs.
After Libya and having to rescue their citizens, I'm sure China felt the need to set up a base or three in Africa.
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