China not seeking military expansion in Djibouti

The Ministry of National Defense of China (MOD) has clarified that China is not seeking military expansion by building its first overseas supply facility in Djibouti.

Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MOD), takes questions at a routine press briefing on Wednesday. [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]

"China is constructing its overseas supply and logistic facility to take more international responsibility, fulfil more international commitments and protect China's legitimate interests," said Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, spokesperson for the MOD, at a routine press briefing on Nov. 30.

The topic surfaces as Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Djibouti from Nov. 23-24. During his visit, Fan visited a Chinese naval ship being resupplied in Djibouti and held talks with Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Prime Minster Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed. A Xinhua report shows that the talks covered ways of further enhancing military ties among other areas of bilateral cooperation.

Yang added that China and Djibouti agreed to strengthen military exchanges in aspects of staff training, resupplying navy ships in escorting missions and participating in UN peacekeeping operations as part of an overall effort to promote China-Djibouti relations.

The logistic facility in Djibouti, whose construction is progressing smoothly, will mainly be used to provide supplies to Chinese navy ships that carry out escort and anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden and the Somalian waterways as well as humanitarian rescues in adjacent waters, confirmed Yang.

"It's fundamentally different from U.S. overseas navy bases. Ours emphasizes international public interests," he said.