Old CIA airfield now a Chinese base, raising geopolitical concerns

A former CIA airfield in northwestern Laos, known during the Vietnam War as Lima Site 44, has reportedly been converted into a Chinese military outpost and began operations on September 29, 2026. Named the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center at Ban Keun Airport and the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy, the facility is located approximately 40 miles north of the Laotian capital, Vientiane, and 25 miles from Thailand. China's defense ministry states the purpose of the base is to assist Laos in training its air force pilots and to foster military cooperation, emphasizing it is not directed against any third party.

Satellite imagery cited by CNN shows the site features a newly completed 6,500-foot runway, taxiway, and parking area capable of holding 22 aircraft, with eight jets, possibly Hongdu JL-8 trainers, already visible. This development is viewed by analysts as a significant step in China's expanding military footprint in mainland Southeast Asia.

While some experts suggest the base's symbolic importance outweighs its immediate threat to the U.S.-China military balance, given its proximity to U.S. ally Thailand, others highlight Laos' strategic value as a gateway into Southeast Asia. This new facility contributes to broader geopolitical concerns about China's growing military influence in the Indo-Pacific region, building on existing ventures like its base in Djibouti and the expanded Ream Naval Base in Cambodia.