Now a great power with global interests, China has been intensifying its presence and influence, particularly in the Indian Ocean, considered an essential sea lane linking the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and South China Sea.
During the 2011 Libyan civil war, the Chinese government evacuated its citizens residing in Libya. Likewise, when the Yemeni civil war erupted in 2015, it reacted similarly. The Chinese navy played an important role in these evacuations, using the Indian Ocean as the major escape route.
From these experiences, China learned the importance of being able to transport and back up human and material resources from the Chinese mainland to faraway lands. The strategic significance of its construction of a base in Djibouti, enhancing its permanent presence in the Indian Ocean, is enormous.
However, it is still difficult to gauge the military significance of this development. For instance, the U.S. military base in Yokosuka has numerous docks, repair facilities and supply depots providing support to U.S. Navy activities. However, whether the Chinese military base in Djibouti will be able to play the same role as the U.S. military base in Yokosuka remains to be seen.