China denies it’s planning a military base in Afghanistan
Defence ministry dismisses reports it will build the base as ‘groundless’
China’s defence ministry on Thursday denied that it was planning to build a military base in Afghanistan, branding such reports “groundless”.
Russian news agency Ferghana News, which focuses on Central Asia, has reported that China will build the base in northern Afghanistan. The report was picked up last week by US magazine The Diplomat and then in Chinese state media.
Speaking at a regular news briefing, ministry spokesman Wu Qian said that the two countries had normal security cooperation and that China, like other countries, was supporting Afghanistan in defence and counterterrorism.
“The so-called issue that China is building a military base in Afghanistan is groundless,” Wu said.
The ministry has also previously dismissed reports that Chinese military vehicles were patrolling inside Afghanistan.