THE DRAGON IN THE HORN OF AFRICA

THE SWIMMING DRAGON'S FIRST NEW NEST: 

CHINA MANS UP ITS FIRST OVER SEAS BASE

Reported from Beijing July 11, 2017

Report and Commentary by His Caatfishness, THE GREAT NAMAZU

 The Dragon stopped swimming recently long enough to establish its first apparently permanent over seas base. The tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti won the lottery and gets to host the Dragon's troops. China sent its military minions of the Peoples Liberation Army, and the Army's navy (that always sounds odd to English speaking beings) after a send off ceremony at PLA Navy pier in the Southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang presided over by Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong. The PLA website described the ceremony but posted no numbers on the minions. It mention that they were being dispatched to the lucky receiving country by naval craft. Nothing like a little cruise before asserting some good old soft power over in a third world nation. Of course its not Djibouti that the Dragon really wants to control its the sea routes in and out of the Indian Ocean, it just needed a nest so it bought one from Djibouti , a nation that is hedging its bets by hosting US, French, and British, and Japanese military units as well. The area is easy commuting distance for regional rival of the Dragon India which may be why India doesn't  have a base in Djibouti. 

 A good time was had by all at the send off. PLA website images depict PLA  navy personnel and marines in battle dress lining the rails as the support ships and JIMGANGSHAN and DONGHAIDAO cast off.  The PLA claims that the base is a support center for their UN sanctioned anti piracy patrols and of course "peace keeping", and humanitarian relief missions. Well, with all the other nations squeezing into the little nation claiming the same thing who can blame Djibouti for taking advantage of a booming naval rental market. 

 The Dragon has been participating in anti piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden since 2008. We wish we could say good on 'em but it is no sense of altruism that draws the Dragon's fleet this far from home waters. Their presence in the Gulf of Aden gives the Dragon previously unprecedented access to the Mediterranean where temporary pal the Bear is actively interfering with Western interests daily.  My assessment? To put it mildly , the Great Catfish is not pleased.