Less than 5 years ago, the Chinese authorities swore their gods that they would never deploy a military base outside the country, while criticizing the American attitude on this subject. Yet, between summer 2016 and June 2017, China built a leading base in Djibouti, allowing to receive aircraft and large ships such as Type 071 assault ships, and has deployed a force of 10.000 men there since that date. At the beginning of 2019, a space communication base made its appearance in Patagonia, in the south of Argentina. During the same year, several reports made states of the reinforcement of the Chinese presence in the Pakistani naval base of Gwadar, even if for the moment, the change of this base under the Chinese flag has not been proven. Other Chinese bases have appeared in recent years in Africa and along the new Silk Roads. But this is nothing compared to Cambodia.
Indeed, Beijing has undertaken colossal works in the former French colony already severely tested by the bloody reign of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge at the end of the 70s. At the same time, the country's authorities conceded to Chinese companies a huge port project. in the Dara Sakor region alone covering 20% of the country's ratings, and a major aerodrome, with a very long airstrip of more than 3000 m, appeared in the interior of the lands in the middle of the forest in the same region. These two projects have been the subject of significant investments from China, and as often, a 99-year concession granted by the authorities of the host nation.
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