Source: The Print
By Col. Vinayak Bhat (retd)
Just last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to leaders of African nations, welcoming them on his “development express”. This strategy has seen China’s exports to Africa increase by 55 per cent in the last five years. Beijing is also increasingly exporting weapons systems to African countries.
A key element of China’s geostrategic investment in Africa is its military base in Djibouti, the country in the Horn of Africa. This is China’s only overseas base in Africa and its details were first reported by ThePrint last year.
New satellite imagery analysed by ThePrint shows that this base is expanding at a rapid pace, taking China closer to its dream of a blue-water navy.
China’s strategic importance in Africa is reflected in its visible military might in Djibouti, even though the country also hosts French and US bases. India has access to Djibouti through the French base.
Read more at: https://theprint.in/security/china-gets-closer-to-its-dream-of-a-blue-water-navy-with-rapid-expansion-of-african-base/113987/