America worries about China’s military ambitions in Africa
China’s navy is eyeing the use of ports abroad, including on the Atlantic
WHEN CHINA began building its first overseas naval base in 2016, in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, Chinese officials tried to allay Western anxiety about their country’s expanded military footprint. They said the outpost (pictured) was only for supporting multinational anti-piracy efforts, helping to secure vital shipping lanes and enabling China to protect its citizens in the region. Five years later, the facility in Djibouti remains the Chinese armed forces’ only foreign bastion.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Harbouring no malice?”
From the December 11th 2021 edition
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