Tri-Service

China's Military Makes Moves Into Africa

China has penned a 10-year deal with the strategically important nation of Djibouti which will see its first military base built on the continent.

Djibouti is a small country in East Africa, across from Yemen and on the Gulf of Aden, with a population of just under 830,000. The vast majority of the population is Muslim; about 6 percent are Christian. Djibouti is strategically important and has played host to a variety of foreign bases, currently hosting both the French and the U.S.

Col. Julien Sabéné, commander of the French base in Djibouti, shares a laugh with U.S. Navy Capt. Shawn Duane during an air show held at the French base in Djibouti, March 20, 2014.

Roughly 4,000 U.S military service members are in place at the American Camp Lemonnier, some of which are British military personnel embedded with U.S. Forces in the horn of Africa.

The area is a key location for counter-terrorism against ISIL in North Africa, and lies on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a gateway to the Suez Canal - one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

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British forces often conduct anti-piracy operations as part of Operation Enduring Freedom: Horn Of Africa. Below, HMS Kent carries out manoeuvres with French Ship FS Charles De Gaulle as the pair form part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 473 off the coast of Djibouti.

The new Chinese base would be a logistics hub, said U.S. Army Gen. David Rodriguez, who is a commander with U.S. Africa Command, according to the Hill. It would also allow China to improve its ability to gather intelligence in the region and beyond, such as parts of the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula as and Central Africa.

Not only would China save money by building its own military base in Djibouti, it would also increase its global stature, J. Peter Pham, director of the Africa Centre at the Atlantic Council, told the Hill.

Hong Lei, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the new facility would provide Chinese ships with reliable supplies and enable crews to rest.