BEIJING ¨C China has launched an unusual charm offensive to explain its first overseas naval base in Djibouti, seeking to assuage global concerns about military expansionism by portraying the move as Beijing¡¯s contribution to regional security and development.
The message is in stark contrast to Beijing¡¯s more bellicose stance on the South China Sea, where its claims on a vital trade waterway have raised hackles across Asia and the United States.
China has repeatedly said it does not seek a U.S.-style ¡°hegemony¡± by extending its military reach, including through bases abroad.
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