PLA military presence in Djibouti: geopolitical and regional aspects
The leadership of the People's Republic of China has begun practical implementation of plans to form a system of forward basing and logistical support of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) in foreign territories. These tasks are provided for by the long-term military construction program (until 2049) and reflect Beijing's new military strategy. This is a new strategy, which consists in shifting the emphasis from "defense of the country" to "defending national interests beyond state borders."
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
At this stage, the main efforts are focused on creating the necessary conditions for the Chinese Navy (PLA Navy) to solve the tasks of ensuring the security of international trade routes, through which up to 80% of the resources consumed by China and most of the exported goods pass.
The official military-doctrinal document of the People's Republic of China "White Paper on National Defense", published in 2015, 2017 and 2019, defines the fundamental principles of the PLA application. In this document, it is emphasized that "within the framework of measures to promote national interests in the current military-political situation in the world, it is necessary to pay close attention to the modernization of the national Armed Forces and their ability to operate operatively outside the national territory."
In addition, Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly noted in his speeches that "the task of developing powerful Armed Forces has never been as urgent as it is today, we will steadily accelerate their modernization and strive to reach the world level."
INFILTRATION OF DJIBOUTI
Since August 1, 2017, the first foreign Logistics point (PMTO) has been officially put into operation in the Republic of Djibouti, a small state at the base of the Horn of Africa PLA Navy. The facility is located in the port of Doral, 5 km west of the port of Djibouti, on a plot of about 40 hectares.
The lease agreement is concluded for the period up to 2026 with the possibility of extension. The PMTO includes the headquarters of the formation of logistics, security, marines and special operations forces. At the same time, there is a possibility of enlarging the logistics point to a military base with a staff of up to 10 thousand people.
On the territory of the PMTO, headquarters buildings, control and communication points, a helicopter pad, hangars for helicopter equipment, warehouses of material and technical property, repair shops, residential buildings (estimated capacity - about 3.6 thousand people) have been built. For the basing of Chinese ships and vessels, two anchor berths of the multifunctional port of Dorale, built by Chinese state–owned companies, have been allocated (the total amount of contracts is about $ 1 billion).
According to PLA experts, the geographical location of the facility will allow Beijing to guarantee the safety of an extremely important for China and at the same time a very vulnerable section of the hydrocarbon transportation route through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait (which connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden) and the Horn of Africa. And also to ensure the presence of the Chinese navy in the Indian Ocean and strengthen China's position on the African continent.
STRENGTHENING COOPERATION AND EXPANSION PLANS
The political and military leadership of the PRC is continuously working to maintain a friendly image of the Chinese state among the population of Djibouti. In particular, the Djibouti-Ethiopia railway, built by China, has had a positive impact on strengthening regional and economic integration, has become an example of African-Chinese cooperation.
In addition, the Chinese side is interested in using ports in Angola (Lobitu), Yemen (Aden), Iran (Chahbahar), Kenya (Lamu and Mombasa), Mozambique (Beira and Maputo), Oman (Salala and Suhar), Tanzania (Bagamoyo) in order to provide national naval forces, Eritrea (Massaua), as well as on the island of Mauritius (Port Louis), the Maldives (Laamu) and the Seychelles (Victoria).
It is characteristic that most of these ports are already used by Chinese ships to replenish stocks of material assets. At the same time, Beijing is positioning these facilities as regional transport and logistics centers within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.
EVOLUTION OF WEAPONS AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT
Despite the fact that the PLA has not been involved in local armed conflicts, Chinese military personnel take an active part in military exercises, peacekeeping activities within the framework of the United Nations, in anti-piracy activities in the protection of ships, not to mention the protection of the PLA Navy in Djibouti.
China's participation in all these events determined the evolution of the elements of weapons and equipment of the PLA military personnel. Which would be impossible without the experience gained in the countries of the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
According to experts of the Academy of Military Sciences of the People's Republic of China, the main motivating reason for the development of Chinese military equipment was the incident with Chinese peacekeepers that occurred in 2017 in South Sudan. A patrol of the Chinese peacekeeping battalion was blown up by a mine, and the surviving servicemen were killed by local militants with firearms. As a result of the assessment of the incident, the PLA command came to the conclusion that it was necessary to improve the tactical and technical characteristics of individual combat equipment produced in China.
Taking into account the need to protect the Chinese PMTO in Djibouti, the corresponding enterprises of the military-industrial complex of the People's Republic of China have established the production of the "type 15" uniform, which was not previously produced. According to the color scheme, it repeats the well-known camouflage solution Multicam of the US Armed Forces, the camouflage coloring corresponds to the terrain of the deployment area.
Previously, the military personnel of the PLA units located in Djibouti wore standard camouflage uniforms (pixel coloring of white, blue and blue colors), unloading vests, backpacks and pouches of green color). Since 2020, the units of the special Chinese garrison in Djibouti have received new W-15 armored helmets, the design of which is copied from the American FAST.
SOULLESS FIGHTERS
Based on the conducted research, the PLA command came to the conclusion that the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into the sphere of managerial decision-making is inevitable and that the future war involves a combination of intelligent combat and command platforms.
At the same time, it is assumed that the use of robotic complexes (RTK) with great freedom of action will increase the combat capabilities of ground forces units during the preparation and conduct of operations, replace a person when solving tasks in critical conditions (in particular, military personnel during certain combat and logistics support activities), ensure the safety of troops on the march or in the area of concentration.
The Eastern Combat Command of the PLA confirmed information from the reports of the 7th channel of the Central Television of China (CCTV-7, an analogue of the Russian TV channel "Zvezda") that the combat and reconnaissance RTK "Sharp Claw" has now passed military tests in Djibouti.
With regard to the technical characteristics of the "Sharp Claw" robotic complexes, it is known that for the first time this complex was presented at the Airshow China 2014 exhibition in Zhuhai. It weighs 120 kg, has a height of 60 cm and a length of 70 cm, the coverage area is 1 km. Transportation of the complex is carried out in the cargo compartment of the car.
RTK "Sharp Claw" is designed for use in areas that are not suitable for the actions of PLA personnel in order to detect and destroy targets in any weather conditions at any time of the day. This ground-based RTK can be additionally equipped with a 7.62 mm light machine gun.
EXERCISES IN DJIBOUTI
The PLA units guarding the logistics point in Djibouti regularly conduct live-fire exercises on the coastal line in the area of the PMTO from personal small arms. The military personnel of the contingent carry out a set of training activities at the national target range of the Armed Forces of Djibouti under the designation "Hyde", where shooting ranges are prepared for firing from personal weapons, as well as positions and target areas for training armored vehicle crews.
The complex of activities of the academic period includes:
a march from the place of permanent deployment to the training ground with the development of actions to repel the attack of a conditional enemy and in the conditions of the use of chemical and biological weapons;
firing of QBZ-95 assault rifles at stationary targets at a range of up to 300 m;
shooting from CS/LR4 sniper rifles of 7.62 mm caliber at a range of 600-700 m and from QBU-10 rifles of 12.7 mm caliber at a range of up to 1000 m;
firing from automatic grenade launchers QLZ87 and QLB06;
shooting from grenade launchers DZJ08 and PF98;
offensive in groups of six and three soldiers under the cover of armored vehicles.
According to Chinese military experts, at least 15 combat training tasks are being worked out on a regular basis.
conclusion
The military-political leadership of China is achieving its goals in Djibouti and other African seaports through investments and participation of Chinese companies in the development of port facilities in conjunction with the build-up of military and military-technical cooperation. China has intensified contacts with a number of African States with access to the Indian Ocean in order to conclude agreements on the deployment of its military facilities on their territories, the construction of Chinese logistics centers to ensure maritime security, combat piracy and conduct humanitarian operations.
It seems possible to agree with the assessments of Western military experts, who regard the Chinese PMTO in Djibouti as a full-fledged training ground, where the PLA command is testing all the latest developments of the ground forces and other components of its Armed Forces.
Chinese military experts, in turn, note that thanks to participation in the protection of the PMTO in Djibouti and the holding of training period events at the Gaid training ground, it is possible to obtain new information about the specifics of the operation of Chinese weapons and equipment of national production in conditions of high temperature, maximum humidity and other adverse factors. In addition, doctors and physical training specialists conduct long-term studies of the functioning of the body of Chinese servicemen in the climatic conditions of Djibouti.
Larisa Shashok
Larisa Alexandrovna Shashok is an expert at the HSE Institute for Advanced Strategic Studies.