China willing to do more in Horn of Africa

– China is ready to make a greater contribution to peace and stability in the Horn of Africa, Beijing said yesterday after Djibouti’s president said negotiations over a Chinese military base were under way.

“Maintenance of peace and stability in the region is in line with the interests of related countries,” foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters.

“It’s also the common aspiration of Djibouti, China and other countries in the world,” she said at a regular briefing in Beijing. “China is willing to, and also should, make more contributions to this end.”

Hua was responding to questions about an AFP interview with the tiny Horn of Africa nation’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh, who said Beijing’s presence would be “welcome” and discussions over a military base in his country were “ongoing”.

China does not have any acknowledged overseas military bases at present, although commercial contracts to build or manage Indian Ocean ports have raised concerns it is seeking to establish a “string of pearls” in the region.

Djibouti is already home to Camp Lemonnier, the US military headquarters on the continent, used for covert, anti-terror and other operations in Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere across Africa. –

Beijing