Keeping an Eye on the Long Game: Part LXXVI

China is in Africa to stay. It is something we need to get used to.

A picture they say is worth a thousand words.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has opened its first overseas base at Djibouti in the strategically located Horn of Africa. China began negotiations with Djibouti in early 2015 that culminated into a 50-year lease for what is being termed as a logistical support base.

The work on the 200-acre facility started in March 2016, along with the construction of Doraleh Multipurpose Port by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) and is still continuing at a very fast pace.
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The fortress that is still under construction has at least 10 storage barracks, ammunition point, storage, office complex and a heliport. The base also has a huge underground air conditioning plant, which may possibly include a water filtration (reverse osmosis) and ice-making plants.
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Four layers of security fences have been constructed. The inner two and
outermost are solid fences. Two roads have been constructed for patrolling
in between the fences.

The width of those fences? 9 and 11 meters.

The Chinese aren't playing around with force protection.

They will eventually need a larger airfield somewhere inland. I don't know where or when, but watch for it.