PLA outpost in Djibouti starts infrastructure construction
2016-02-26 08:51 chinadaily.com.cn
Editor: Feng Shuang
The Ministry of National Defense has confirmed the start of infrastructure construction of the People's Liberation Army's first overseas support facilities in Djibouti.
"Currently, the construction of infrastructure of the support facilities has started, and the Chinese side has dispatched part of the personnel to Djibouti for relevant works," ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a regular news conference in Beijing on Thursday.
Djibouti is a pivotal country in the Horn of Africa standing between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. It is a key transfer stop for international humanitarian missions, including those of the United Nations.
Military bases and support facilities for countries, including the United States and France, have long been based in Djibouti.
Last December, the Ministry of National Defense confirmed that, through consultation between China and Djibouti, a consensus was reached on China building support facilities in Djibouti.
Wu told reporters that the facilities will mainly be used for logistic support and the reorganization of those conducting escort, peacekeeping and humanitarian relief missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters near Somalia.
Djibouti's strategic importance and logistical convenience were highlighted last year when Chinese citizens evacuated from Yemen transited there.
While meeting with the president of Djibouti Ismail Omar Guelleh in Johannesburg in last December, President Xi Jinping said China appreciated Djibouti's help in supporting Chinese peacekeeping fleets and in evacuating Chinese citizens from Yemen.
China Has Begun Construction of a Naval Support Base in Djibuti
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Feb 25, 2016
has begun construction of a logistics base in Djibouti, Chinese Ministry of Defence confirmed today; the base at the Horn of Africa will be
’s first military facility overseas.
Djibouti’s president defended Beijing’s right to build what will be its first foreign military outpost on one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
“The Chinese government has decided to move to this area,” President Ismail Omar Guelleh said to Reuters on an interview in Addis Ababa.
“They have the right to defend their interests, just like everybody else does.” The base will be used primarily for military rest and resupply of military ships carrying out naval escort, peacekeeping and humanitarian duties, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said. China had conducted anti-piracy operations in the region in recent years and is seeking to expand its capacity to respond to growing threats to its interests abroad.
Strategically located at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal, Djibouti is already home to U.S. and French bases, while other navies often use its port. China said last year it was in talks to build what it describes as naval “support facilities” in the Horn of Africa nation, which has less than a million people but is striving to become an international shipping hub.
The Chinese facilities would be at the new, Multi-Purpose Port being built in the south of the country in partnership with China Merchants Holdings International. The navy would use one of the berths. Djibouti is expanding its port facilities to handle more bulk commodities, containers and other goods. Djibouti plans investment worth $12.4 billion between 2015 and 2020, with the Chinese providing much of the financing.
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