More than 2,500 Chinese combat-ready soldiers and police officers are now deployed in UN Peacekeeping missions across the African continent. While this growing Chinese military presence has raised concerns of "ulterior motives", China's state-run media stressed the new naval base was about protecting its own security and "not about seeking to control the world. Djibouti 's status as a model of stability in an otherwise volatile region is one of its greatest assets. Chinese nationals working on infrastructure projects in the region would also benefit from the proximity of a military base in the region.Djibouti hosts the largest American permanent military base in Africa, Camp Lemonnier, which is home to more than 4,000 personnel. However, the Chinese base will be established in the northern Obock region, eclipsing smaller US military installations there.

Source: Times of India July 12, 2017 16:01 UTC