China Expands Military Presence Via Belt And Road Initiative

The United States is becoming increasingly concerned that the Chinese military is moving to establish supply bases and other footholds around the globe through infrastructure investments under its Belt and Road mega-economic zone initiative in order to expand its sphere of influence, Kazuhiko Makita and Seima Oki reported for Yomiuri Shimbun.

Photo Insert: There are 94 ports around the world partially owned or operated by Chinese firms as of February 2020 that may be used used as footholds for the Chinese military’s overseas deployments.

China is thought to be aiming to improve its ability to deploy troops to defend sea lanes and engage in combat.

The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, a US congressional advisory body, stated in its annual report released in December 2020 that the Chinese military in the next 10 to 15 years “aims to be capable of fighting a limited war overseas to protect its interests in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative,” and that by mid-century, it “aims to be capable of rapidly deploying forces anywhere in the world.”

The report stated that there were 94 ports around the world partially owned or operated by Chinese firms as of February 2020, and it expressed concern over the possibility of these ports being used as footholds for the Chinese military’s overseas deployments.

Washington is becoming more convinced that Beijing is aiming to develop military facilities and bases abroad in addition to the “dual-use” of foreign commercial ports and airports.

The US Defense Department in a 2021 report titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China” listed 14 countries — including Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and Kenya — as locations that the Chinese military has considered for developing “bases or military logistics facilities.”

Regarding China’s move to assist the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, the report stated that the move indicates that China’s “overseas basing strategy has diversified.” In 2017, China established an overseas military base at Doraleh Port in the East African nation of Djibouti.

Currently, it is China’s only overseas base and has been used to supply destroyers and other vessels dispatched to counter piracy off the coast of Somalia. A US military official said in April 2021 that China had been expanding the port’s pier, which could now host a port call by a Chinese aircraft carrier.

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