China is seeking new overseas military facilities around the world to boost geopolitical aspirations, a U.S. intelligence assessment has said.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence's (ODNI) annual assessment, which was published on Monday, brought attention to China's global military aspirations. The ODNI is a nodal agency for all U.S. intelligence agencies and publishes a much-watched annual threat assessment.
ODNI has underscored China's growing global military ambitions in its latest annual assessment, pointing at Beijing's efforts to extend its military reach beyond its borders.
"The PLA [People's Liberation Army] will continue to pursue the establishment of overseas military installations and access agreements in an attempt to project power and protect China's interests abroad. Beyond developing its military base in Djibouti and its military facility at Ream Naval Base in Cambodia, Beijing reportedly is considering pursuing military facilities in multiple locations, including—but not limited to—Burma, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and the UAE," ODNI said in its annual report published on Monday.
Such developments resonate with Chinese leader Xi Jinping's vision of transforming the PLA into a formidable blue-water navy capable of sustaining operations worldwide. Until recently, Djibouti hosted China's only acknowledged foreign military base.
So far, China's only publicly acknowledged foreign military base is in Djibouti.
Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Newsweek: "The Chinese people are living, working and traveling in many parts of the world. Cargo ships with Chinese goods sail along almost all major international waterways. These fully justify China's moves to build up its defense capability to protect its legitimate interests overseas and promote regional and international peace."
"The U.S. has over a hundred military bases across the world, deploying hundreds of thousands of troops beyond its homeland. It has fought one war after another outside its territory. It is not in a position to accuse other countries in this regard," Liu said.
Newsweek also contacted foreign ministries of Myanmar, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and the United Arab Emirates for comment.
This move is seen as part of China's broader strategy to challenge U.S. dominance and establish itself as a major global military power.
The expansion of China's military footprint is perceived by its rivals as a precursor to establishing a network of potential bases to support its rapidly growing armed forces. Despite Beijing's dismissal of any intention to establish overseas bases for its military, the U.S. and its allies remain wary.
They fear that China's engagements with certain countries could lead to the establishment of full-fledged military operations, covert security arrangements, welcoming ports, or dual-use facilities, all aimed at enhancing China's ability to project military power globally.
However, in June 2022 The Washington Post reported that China was constructing a naval base in Cambodia to accommodate the People's Liberation Army Navy. This clandestine project, presented as security-related aid to Cambodia, has since been confirmed by Cambodian authorities, highlighting the close bilateral relations between the two nations.
The presence of Chinese warships at Cambodia's Ream Naval Base, as reported by Newsweek in December of the previous year, underscores the deepening military ties between Cambodia and China, marking a significant shift in Southeast Asia's strategic landscape.
Although details about the extent of the PLA's engagement at the Ream Naval Base remain undisclosed, the development has prompted serious concerns from the U.S. State Department regarding China's plans for exclusive control over portions of the Ream Naval Base.
"China vies to surpass the United States in comprehensive national power and secure deference to its preferences from its neighbors and from countries around the world, while Russia directly threatens the United States in an attempt to assert leverage regionally and globally," the ODNI report added.
Update 3/12/24, 10:30 p.m. ET: This article was updated with a comment from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.
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About the writer
Aadil Brar is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers international security, U.S.-China relations, and East Asian ... Read more
