African country that hosts China’s only confirmed foreign military base & why

For years, China has been expanding its global influence through trade, infrastructure and diplomacy, fuelling debate about whether Beijing is quietly building a worldwide military footprint to rival the United States.

Former CIA officer and whistle-blower John Kiriakou has previously argued that China’s global military posture is often exaggerated in Western discourse. In his view, China does not fit the historical pattern of an expansionist power. 

But despite widespread speculation, China has only one confirmed overseas military base, and it is located in Africa.

That base sits in Djibouti, a small but strategically vital country in the Horn of Africa.

China officially opened its overseas military facility in Djibouti in 2017, marking a historic shift in Beijing’s defence posture. It was the first time in modern history that China established a permanent military installation outside its territory.

The base is located near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes. 

This corridor handles a substantial share of global trade, including energy supplies moving between the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

For China, whose economy depends heavily on secure sea lanes, the location offers both strategic access and logistical convenience.

Chinese officials describe the Djibouti facility as a logistics support base.

According to Beijing, its primary role is to support anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, assist Chinese troops participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions in Africa, and provide a platform for humanitarian assistance and evacuation operations during regional crises.

Western defence analysts, however, widely regard the installation as a full military base, capable of hosting warships, aircraft and thousands of personnel.

Djibouti’s selection was far from accidental. Despite its small size, the country hosts several foreign military installations operated by the United States, France, Japan and Italy.

Its relative political stability, proximity to key shipping routes and location at the crossroads of East Africa and the Middle East have made it one of the most militarised and strategically valuable locations in the world.

China’s presence in Djibouti has intensified debate about whether Beijing plans to establish additional overseas bases.

Ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Equatorial Guinea are often cited as potential future sites, largely because of their links to Chinese-financed infrastructure projects.

Yet none of these locations has been confirmed as a permanent Chinese military base, and both Chinese authorities and host governments have repeatedly denied such claims.

What China does maintain is access to commercial ports, logistical agreements that allow for refuelling and resupply, and dual-use facilities that primarily serve civilian purposes but could support military operations if required.

This approach allows Beijing to protect its interests abroad without committing to a broad network of permanent bases.

In this respect, China’s strategy differs sharply from that of the United States, which operates hundreds of military bases and facilities across dozens of countries.

While Washington relies on forward-deployed forces to project power globally, Beijing has largely focused on economic engagement first, followed by limited security arrangements to safeguard trade routes and overseas citizens.

The fact that China’s only confirmed overseas military base is in Africa carries both symbolic and strategic weight.

It shows the continent’s rising importance in global geopolitics and highlights how Africa has become central to competition for influence among major powers.

At the same time, it raises important questions about how African states navigate partnerships with external actors while safeguarding sovereignty and long-term security interests.