Published : 11/07/2025

On July 11, 2017, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Support Base in Djibouti, a country located in the Horn of East Africa, was officially established, making it then first overseas base of the PLA.

On the morning of that day, the inauguration and troop dispatch ceremony was held at a naval port terminal in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province. Navy Commander Shen Jinlong (沈金龍) read out the order to establish the Djibouti Support Base and presented the military flag to the troops.

Officers and soldiers lined up in divisions on the amphibious dock landing ship Jinggangshan (Hull 999) and the semi-submerged ship Donghaidao (Hull 868). At the command "Set sail," the ships sounded their horns in sequence, cast off, and set out.

The PLA support base in Djibouti is located in Djibouti City, the capital of Djibouti. It primarily provides effective support for PLA missions such as escorting, peacekeeping, and humanitarian aid in Africa and West Asia.

It also facilitates the PLA in conducting military cooperation, joint exercises and training, evacuation and protection of overseas Chinese, and emergency rescue missions abroad, thereby jointly safeguarding the security of international strategic channels with relevant parties.

Official media pointed out that the construction of the support base and the stationing of necessary military personnel by the PLA in Djibouti was a decision made through friendly consultations between the governments of China and Djibouti, in line with the common interests of the peoples of both countries.