China has established its first overseas military airbase, converting a former secret CIA facility in Laos, satellite imagery and official sources have confirmed. The Ban Keun base, located about 30 miles north of the Laotian capital Vientiane, was formally opened at the end of September in a ceremony attended by representatives from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Laotian defense officials.

The facility, which was initially known as “Lima Site 44” during the Vietnam War and operated by Air America—a CIA front company—had been largely inactive in recent decades. Now, it has been repurposed as a joint Chinese-Laotian airbase officially designated as a training center for the Laos air force.

Analysis of satellite images indicates that the runway at Ban Keun could be extended to accommodate Chinese fighter jets and bombers, potentially allowing the base to serve as a forward staging point for China’s PLA air operations in Southeast Asia. Reports suggest that eight Chinese K-8 light attack aircraft have already been deployed to the airfield.

The Chinese defense ministry stated that the base’s construction “reflects mutual respect and equal consultation” between the two countries and complies with domestic and international law. It emphasized that the facility is not aimed at any third party.

Laos, a landlocked and economically underdeveloped nation, holds strategic importance due to its proximity to several countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, China, and Cambodia. While the base is relatively small and situated just 200 miles from China, limiting its immediate enhancement of PLA capabilities, it marks China’s first foreign airbase and only its third overseas military facility overall. Prior to Ban Keun, China maintained a naval and marine base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa and a joint naval facility in Cambodia.

Observers note that the establishment of the Ban Keun base represents a strategic win for China, signaling the country's expanding military footprint in the region. However, the development may pose challenges for regional powers such as Vietnam and has raised concerns in the United States about shifts in the security balance. Some analysts also suggest that the new base could be viewed as a potential setback for Russia, given the shifting geopolitical dynamics.

The implications for Laos itself remain uncertain, with experts debating whether the arrangement will yield long-term benefits for the country or primarily advance Chinese security objectives in Southeast Asia.