Alwaght- China has officially opened its first overseas naval base in Djibouti, state media said Tuesday in an event timed to coincide with the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of China's military, the People's Liberation Army, on August 1.
Chinese military personnel, officials and guests attended a flag-raising ceremony and military parade to mark the occasion which is a significant step for the country´s expansion of its military presence abroad.
More than 300 people attended Tuesday's ceremony, including deputy Chinese naval commander Tian Zhong and Djibouti's defense minister,
The logistics base is the first of its kind for Beijing, which will use it to support "naval escorts in Africa and southwest Asia, (UN) peacekeeping and for humanitarian support," according to a previous China defense ministry statement.
China sent its first deployment of troops to the facility on July 11, marking the occasion with a ceremony in the southern province of Guangdong.
China has described the base as "defensive in nature", saying it will provide support for naval escorts, UN peacekeeping, anti-piracy and evacuating Chinese nationals from the region in case of emergency.
The Chinese navy has long assisted anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden, as well as UN peacekeeping efforts throughout Africa.
Djibouti is located at the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb Strait at the southern entrance to the Red Sea on the route to the Suez Canal. The tiny, barren nation sandwiched between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia also hosts US, Japanese and French bases.
The establishment of the Chinese base in Djibouti is seen as a move meant the establish influence in a region where the US and its allies, especially Japan are operation.
Japan itself established Japan is already expanding a military base in Djibouti as a counterweight to what it sees as growing Chinese influence in the region.
Beijing has made extensive infrastructure investments throughout the African continent as it seeks to gain access to natural resources and new markets.
