First air base abroad?
China is expanding its influence
October 8, 2026 – 10:31 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
China has been expanding its influence in Southeast Asia for a long time. Satellite images now show Chinese fighter jets at a location abroad.
There has been extensive construction work at Ban Keun military airport in Laos in recent months. This is shown by images from the satellite operator Vantor. Accordingly, where until recently there was farmland and unpaved roads, new buildings and an asphalt runway can now be seen.
Eight light combat aircraft can also be seen in the most recent images. According to analysts, these are Chinese-made Hongdu JL-8 machines. Ban Keun is located around 50 kilometers north of Vientiane, the capital of Laos.
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The relationships between China and Laos are considered narrow, but are highly asymmetrical. Politically and economically, the two countries are connected in many ways, with China’s gross domestic product exceeding that of its neighboring country by more than a thousand times. The latest satellite images now indicate that both states are also collaborating more militarily.
In an official statement, the Chinese Ministry of Defense speaks of a joint support and training center. However, security experts doubt that the military airport, which is currently being expanded, is solely used to train Laotian pilots.
China’s growing influence in the region
Rather, it is assumed that it could be China’s first air base abroad. In contrast to the USAwhich maintains many military bases in other countries, China does not yet have a comparable network of military outposts.
Meanwhile, China’s efforts to expand its influence in Southeast Asia are obvious. The People’s Republic now maintains a number of bases in the South China Sea. Some of these are located on natural islands that China has brought under its control, and some are on artificially built islands.
Just last year, China announced the establishment of a joint logistics and training center in Cambodia. The center is located at the Ream naval base, which is used by the armed forces of both countries. According to the official statement, the center serves, among other things, regional combating terrorism and disaster prevention.
