A recent report disclosed that the Chinese military aims to construct a network of overseas naval bases to secure maritime routes, boost its military presence, and strengthen its capacities to fight sanctions from the West.
Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Bata in Equatorial Guinea, and Gwadar in Pakistan are three probable places for future Chinese naval bases during the next two to five years, according to an analysis that was issued on July 27 by the research institute “AidData” in the United States.
The researchers behind the study drew their findings from several factors, such as the extent to which Chinese state-owned banks financed port expansions, the strategic value of pre-existing infrastructure, and China’s close ties to the governments of host nations. They devised a list of eight potential locations for future Chinese naval stations outside China.
On the coast of Africa, Djibouti is home to the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) lone overseas military base. The Guardian reports that China has strengthened its naval presence in response to rising competition from the United States.
In contrast to the United States, China is not a member of any international defensive alliances; the only country with an official defence pact is North Korea. The report claims that building overseas naval bases is high on China’s military agenda because it fits in with the country’s grand schemes, especially the Belt and Road Initiative, a multi-trillion dollar investment plan to increase China’s global influence, especially in economically developing countries.
The study emphasises China’s military objectives in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait but notes that these may be carried out entirely within Chinese territorial waters and from local naval stations. The offshore sites would function as intelligence-gathering assets while aiding the upkeep of shipping lanes, particularly in the face of Western sanctions.
According to the study, the port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka is a promising location for a future Chinese naval station. China loaned $306.7 million to build this port from the state-owned China Exim Bank in 2010. Colombo defaulted on a sizable loan awarded by Beijing for developing the northern Hambantota port, so a state-owned Chinese business is now operating it under a 99-year lease.
In addition, the research highlights the considerable investments that China has made in African ports. It also identifies Bata in Equatorial Guinea as a second prospective location for an external Chinese military post. This is because China has allocated $659 million to construct a port in Bata.
According to the research, there is also the possibility that China may create a naval station in Gwadar, Pakistan. The report bases its hypothesis on the tight ties between China and Pakistan.
In addition, the research considers Kribi, which is located in Cameroon, as the fourth contender because of China’s significant investments in the region as well as the importance of the region for China strategically. The report suggests looking into Ream in Cambodia and Nacala in Mozambique as possible locations.
The research also highlighted Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, as another “possible and attractive” alternative for the Chinese, mainly due to the significant investments that the Chinese have made in the region and the proximity of the country to Europe.
‘The ‘Financial Times” reported on Tuesday that Beijing had made great progress in creating a naval facility in Cambodia. Satellite photos showed a partially built pier comparable in size and design to the one used by the Chinese military in Djibouti. In a separate but related topic, the “Financial Times” reported that Beijing had made significant progress in building a naval base in Cambodia.
Even though the US Defence Department says that China is building a military base in Cambodia to improve its naval powers, both China and Cambodia say they have no plans to set up a base and point to local laws that make it illegal.
According to a statement by a former United States intelligence community official named Dennis Wilder, the base would have significant strategic value if tensions in the South China Sea escalated into a military confrontation. Furthermore, it would expand China’s naval operations towards the strategic shipping lanes of the Malacca Strait, which would be a critical choke point in any conflict with the United States and its regional allies.
According to Bloomberg, China possesses the most advanced maritime capabilities regarding the number of warships, and its state-owned construction and engineering enterprises actively participate in constructing port facilities worldwide.
According to the paper’s findings, China helped construct or expand 78 ports in 46 nations by providing loans and subsidies totalling approximately $30 billion between 2000 and 2021.
When China is criticised for having military bases in other countries, the country answers by pointing out that the United States military also has hundreds of military sites worldwide, including in Asia.
