China to set up military bases in Pakistan – Pentagon report

Read original article on The Guardian or read some of the key points below;

1. China is set to expand its military capabilities across the globe, with new overseas bases in countries like Pakistan as the world’s largest army seeks an increased role in defending China’s interest abroad, a report by the Pentagon has said.
2. China’s spent $180bn on the People’s Liberation Army last year, according to the annual report from the US defence department, but officials estimate that figure could be significantly higher than China’s official defense budget of about $140bn due to “poor accounting transparency”.
3. “China most likely will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a longstanding friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan,” the report said.
4. Last year China began building its first overseas base in the African nation of Djibouti, already home to Camp Lemonnier, a large US instillation responsible for counter terrorism operations in the Persian Gulf and east and north Africa.
5. A China military expert at the Lowy Institute for International Policy reports, “For now China’s ambitions remain regional, but it is becoming clear China has broader global aspirations, and while they are still in the early stages, they beginning to take shape.”