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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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A Newsweek map shows where China has considered establishing overseas military bases beyond the two currently in operation, according to a Pentagon report.
China's Defense Ministry said it acts in accordance with domestic and international law to safeguard its rights and interests and to provide what it called "international public security goods," in response to the Pentagon's report on Chinese military power released on December 23.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Why It Matters
As part of its push to build "world-class" armed forces to challenge its top rival, the United States, the Chinese military is undergoing rapid modernization, along with an expansion of overseas outposts to support its fast-growing presence beyond the East Asian coastline and to project and sustain power at greater distances, the Pentagon said.
China has built two military facilities outside its territory: a support base in Djibouti, established in 2017, and a joint logistics and training center in Cambodia, opened in April. The East African base supports Chinese naval escort missions in the region, while the Southeast Asian site helps maintain China's presence in the South China Sea.
What To Know
The Chinese People's Liberation Army, or PLA, is "actively considering and planning" additional military facilities to support naval and air projection with ground security forces, the Pentagon assessed, in addition to China's bases in Djibouti and Cambodia.
According to the report, titled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2025," Gabonese President Brice Oligui Nguema confirmed in March Beijing's interest in establishing a military footprint in the Gulf of Guinea, which would be China's first base on the Atlantic coast if both nations finalize a hosting agreement.
The Pentagon listed locations in the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean—where the U.S. maintains a military presence to pressure Venezuela—that China has "likely considered" for bases as well.
These locations are Angola, Bangladesh, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu and Zambia. Kenya, Pakistan and Thailand are Washington's major non-NATO allies.
The Pentagon said China is "probably most interested" in military access along the sea lines of communication, including the Malacca Strait and the Strait of Hormuz, which each account for over 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum liquids transport per day.
However, the report warned that an overseas military logistics network could enable China to spy on the U.S. military—which has a global basing network, including in Djibouti—supporting its broader awareness of U.S., allied and partner activities.
Regarding "international public security goods," the Chinese government said in 2021 that the term refers to efforts to bolster international or regional security and stability through peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, naval escorts, international counterterrorism actions and combating transnational organized crimes.
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Yet, the Pentagon said China has not utilized its base in Djibouti to provide support during the Red Sea crisis, in which Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked commercial shipping. The region accounts for more than 17.4 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum liquids transport daily.
What People Are Saying
The Pentagon said in its Chinese military power report 2025: "China's overseas military basing will be constrained by the willingness of potential host nations to support a PLA presence. Host nations are likely concerned about risks to sovereignty, regional and international perceptions, and relations with the United States and other countries when considering hosting a PLA facility."
The Chinese Defense Ministry responded to the Pentagon's report: "China firmly adheres to a defensive national defense policy and a proactive defense military strategy. Its high-quality modernization of national defense and the armed forces is entirely for the purpose of safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests."
China's State Council Information Office said in 2021: "With growing national strength, China's military will expand its participation in international engagements including UN peacekeeping and international [humanitarian assistance and disaster relief] operations, and make a greater contribution to world peace and development."
What Happens Next
China has yet to confirm plans for its third overseas military base. The U.S. is likely to exert pressure on countries that may host Chinese forces in the Western Hemisphere, a region the Trump administration has called on to "restore American preeminence."
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