Communist China’s Ports of Influence and Exploitation

Communist China’s Ports of Influence and Exploitation
Cambodian soldiers travel on a speedboat near a Chinese warship docked at the Ream Naval Base in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia, on April 5, 2025. Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP via Getty Images
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Commentary

On a gray September morning in Mombasa, a harbor pilot climbs the ladder of a Chinese-built container ship, boots slick with spray, as the vessel noses toward a berth that did not exist 20 years ago. The cranes, the dredged channel, and even parts of the road that will carry the cargo inland all tie back to Chinese state banks and state-owned firms.

Charles Davis
Charles Davis
Author
Charles Davis is a military veteran and lecturer with an intelligence background. His military awards include: two Bronze Star Service Medals, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, NATO Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Saudi Arabia Liberation Medal, and Kuwait Liberation Medal.