China is in the process of establishing a network of permanent navy bases overseas, aiming to safeguard maritime shipping routes and enhance its ability to resist sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies.
This move marks a new battleground for competition between Washington and Beijing.
Likely locations for new Chinese naval bases in the next two to five years include Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Bata in Equatorial Guinea, and Gwadar in Pakistan, as reported by The Telegraph.
Currently, China only has one overseas naval base, located in Djibouti on the African coast, according to a report by the US-based research institute “IHS Jane’s.”
However, as competition with the United States intensifies, China is seeking to catch up with global naval powers.
Unlike Washington, Beijing is not part of any international defense alliances, except for a formal defense treaty with North Korea. This makes establishing overseas naval bases a priority in China’s military development plan.
These ambitions align with China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with four out of eight of the mentioned bases in the “IHS Jane’s” report situated in Africa.
While China’s more urgent naval ambitions lie in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, the “IHS Jane’s” report notes that these operations can be conducted entirely from the Chinese mainland and local naval bases.
These remote bases will help China maintain shipping routes, especially in the face of Western sanctions, and gather intelligence information.
