Why China has built a secret military base in Tajikistan | Dispatch

Troops march in two columns through knee-deep snow at a dizzying elevation in one of the most remote corners of the world – a frontier area where China, Tajikistan and Afghanistan meet. China and Tajikistan are holding joint military drills regularly, including in the vicinity of a secret base that Beijing has built amidst mountains that spiral more than 4,000 metres into the sky. The facility – complete with lookout towers and a contingent of troops from both countries – is a very visible symbol of China’s growing sharp power in Tajikistan. Neither country has publicly acknowledged the base, which extends a former Soviet outpost. But satellite images chronicle a steady pace of construction since 2016, including new access roads to the base. #China #Taliban #Tajikistan