China Establishes New Joint Military Support Base in Laos

BEIJING / VIENTIANE — China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has expanded its overseas footprint into Southeast Asia with a new joint air force support and training facility in Laos.

The site, named the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center, is Beijing's third major foreign military installation, joining outposts in Djibouti (2017) and Cambodia's Ream Naval Base (2025).

Facility & Capabilities

Located near Ban Keun—approximately 64 kilometers north of Vientiane—construction began in late 2025 on former farmland near a historic Vietnam War-era airstrip (Lima Site 44). By late 2026, satellite imagery confirmed a fully operational facility featuring a ~2,000-meter (6,562 ft) runway, hangars, and logistical barracks.

Core Objectives & Strategic Impact

• Pilot Training & Aviation Support: Hands-on flight instruction, ground handling, and modern maintenance for the Lao People's Army Air Force.

• Inland Defense Footprint: Unlike China's coastal naval bases, this installation provides the PLA with an inland logistics hub in mainland Southeast Asia, situated near key transit routes like the Boten–Vientiane railway.

• Joint Logistics & Exercises: Staging ground for regional counter-terrorism drills, search-and-rescue ops, and medical exchanges.

While Beijing and Vientiane maintain the facility is a joint operation for non-combat assistance, Western and regional defense analysts view it as a key step in consolidating China's defense posture across Indochina.

(AI photo)