Radio France Internationale (RFI) Chinese Edition recently reported that, according to people familiar with the matter, U.S. officials believe China is secretly constructing military installations at a port about 50 miles north of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi. China’s secret port project in the Persian Gulf shook the U.S. relations with the UAE. The UAE government does not seem to be aware of the military nature of Chinese activities. The UAE is the host country where the U.S. military is stationed in the region and is seeking to purchase advanced U.S. fighter jets and drones. Around one year ago, confidential satellite imagery led U.S. officials to conclude that the Chinese are building some kind of military facility in the port. At some point, the construction site was covered. The Biden administration is trying to persuade the UAE government to block the construction of the base. Beijing denied all the accusations. U.S. officials recently inspected the site and expressed the belief that the construction has stopped. A senior UAE official lamented last month that the UAE was caught in a duel between the United States and China.
Source: RFI Chinese, November 20, 2021
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