Where Will China Locate Future Naval Bases?

 AidData, a research lab at William & Mary, published in July 2023 a study titled "Harboring Global Ambitions: China's Ports Footprint and Implications for Future Overseas Naval Bases" by Alexander Wooley, Sheng Zhang, Rory Fedorochko, and Sarina Patterson.  

At the moment, China's only naval base outside China is located in Djibouti.  The study provides a shortlist of the most likely basing options in the order in which they might be prioritized by Beijing.  Four of the eight ports on the short list are located in Africa.

The eight prospects in priority order are:

--Hambantota, Sri Lanka

--Bata, Equatorial Guinea

--Gwadar, Pakistan

--Kribi, Cameroon

--Ream, Cambodia

--Luganville, Vanuatu

--Nacala Mozambique

--Nouakchott, Mauritania

Chinese Port Construction and Overseas Naval Bases

 AidData, a research lab at William & Mary, published on 25 July 2023 a study titled "Harboring Global Ambitions: China's Ports Footprint and Implications for Future Overseas Naval Bases" by Alexander Wooley, Sheng Zhang, Rory Fedorochko, and Sarina Patterson.  

The authors suggest a list of port locations--where China has invested significant resources and maintains relationships with local elites--that may be favorable locations for future Chinese naval bases.

Where Is China Looking for Its Next Overseas Naval Base?

Foreign Policy published on 27 July 2023 a commentary titled "Beijing Is Going Places--and Building Naval Bases" by Alexander Wooley and Sheng Zhang.

Based on new AidData information, the authors offer the following short list for likely future PLA Navy bases outside China: Hambantota, Sri Lanka; Bata, Equatorial Guinea; Gwadar, Pakistan; Kribi, Cameroon; Ream, Cambodia; Luganville, Vanuatu; Nacala, Mozambique; and Nouakchott, Mauritania.