China's Djibouti base upgrades should boost its monitoring reach, report says

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China has upgraded its military base in Djibouti with new antennas and satellite communication equipment, enhancing its monitoring capabilities across the Middle East and Africa according to a US think tank report. These improvements extend China's strategic outreach from its sole overseas base.

WASHINGTON, Sept 17 (Reuters) - China has made upgrades to its military base at Djibouti that should significantly enhance its ability to monitor military activity across the Middle East and Africa, a report by a US think tank released on Thursday said. Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank said commercial satellite imagery showed that China's military had installed new antennas, satellite communications equipment and other assets at its only formally acknowledged overseas military base.