How was an old CIA airport turned into a Chinese base?

- The Chinese army has opened a new site in northwestern Laos, in a place that was previously used as an airport for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Vietnam War. The base - located about 40 miles north of the capital, Vientiane, and only 25 miles from the nearest border point with Thailand - houses the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center at Ban Kon Airport, and the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy.

The base began operations on September 29, according to a statement issued by the Chinese Ministry of Defense. Images obtained by Ofq News Network via satellite and the Vantor intelligence platform show the completion of the construction of a 2,000-meter-long runway, a ground corridor, and an apron designated for parking 22 aircraft at the base since December.

These facilities are “designed to help Laos enhance the training and development of its Air Force pilots, and will be subject to joint maintenance by both sides,” the Defense Ministry statement said. Eight aircraft - possibly Hongdu JL-8, two-seat training and light attack aircraft - can be seen in satellite images.

The Ministry stressed that these facilities "are not directed against any third party, but rather contribute to enhancing practical cooperation between the two armies and maintaining regional peace and stability." So far, China has only one official base outside its territory, which is a facility in Djibouti in northeastern Africa, which opened in 2017.

China also funded a major expansion of the Cambodian naval base "Ream" overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, and operates it jointly with the Cambodian army. The construction of a new naval pier there - of a size that allows it to receive Chinese naval aircraft carriers - has raised concerns about Beijing's intentions in the region.

However, the Cambodian government maintains that the base is open to other parties, including the US Navy, which docked one of its littoral combat ships there in January. It is noteworthy that the "Pan Kon" base in Laos was previously used by the "Air America" ​​company, which was run by the CIA - during the Vietnam War, where it served as a logistical and support center for covert operations in the region.

However, analysts believe that China's move - although it has a symbolic significance - does not indicate any fundamental shift in the balance of power between the United States and China. Drew Thompson, a senior research fellow at S.

Rajaratnam for International Studies in Singapore, on Thursday, said that it is difficult to imagine any threat that this base might pose to American forces in the region. He added, “This airstrip is not a dagger pointed at the heart of anything.”

He continued: “I find it difficult to imagine a scenario in which China would want to conduct air sorties from that location,” noting its proximity to Thailand, which is a major non-NATO ally of the United States. For her part, Rachel Vandenbrink, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told Reuters that China's choice of Pan Con "is more likely related to seizing an opportunity than meeting a clear operational need."

“Laos has geostrategic value as an accessible foothold on mainland Southeast Asia, given its shared border with China and infrastructure links, including a railway line,” she added.