Analysis: Djibouti – China’s first base challenges American dominance
For a strategic planner looking for a critical maritime chokepoint, beyond canals there are only two really scary ones on the planet worthy of attention – the Malacca Strait and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
In the latter case, the Bab el-Mandeb connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, via the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.
On 1 August, the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Liberation Army, the Chinese officially opened their first overseas military base and naval support facility in Djibouti with a flag raising ceremony.
Although there are numerous foreign militaries in Djibouti, including
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