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China Amplifies Military Presence: Strategic Upgrades in Djibouti

The upgrades include new antennas and satellite gear, and CSIS said they could help Chinese forces track military activity and signals across two regions.

  • On Thursday, the Center for Strategic and International Studies reported China installed new antennas and satellite communications equipment at its Djibouti military base, enhancing its ability to monitor military activity across the Middle East and Africa.
  • Conflicts involving the Houthis, Iran, the United States, and Israel have increased regional military activity, amplifying the intelligence value of the base positioned near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime trade chokepoint.
  • Two new communications compounds built since mid-2024 strengthen China's intelligence network, while the United States, France, Italy, and Japan operate bases less than 16 kilometers from China's facility.
  • These facilities provide Beijing with "a much more robust picture of the operating environment," the report said, enabling China to "draw valuable insights into U.S. and other militaries' operations" by observing signal patterns.
  • Beijing is leveraging the base to expand its security and economic footprint throughout Africa, as the People's Liberation Army Navy continues to bolster its operational reach in the region.
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According to an American report, China provides its military base in Djibouti with sophisticated antennas and radars near Bab al-Mandab, considering this a feverish race to control the corridors of the Middle East and Africa and monitor the movements of Western fleets.

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Reuters broke the news in London, United Kingdom on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
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