‘Beijing wiretapped the Red Sea’: China boosts army base with signal intel tech 6 miles from US base

China’s military base in Djibouti, Africa, is under scrutiny after a new CSIS report revealed upgrades to its signal intelligence and surveillance capabilities just six miles from a key U.S. military base, Camp Lemonnier. A former Pentagon official warns Beijing may be using its Djibouti base to monitor U.S. forces, track naval movements and gather intelligence near the Red Sea’s critical Bab el-Mandeb shipping chokepoint. With Donald Trump and Xi Jinping preparing for a high-stakes White House meeting, explore China’s military expansion, Red Sea surveillance concerns, U.S.-China tensions and the strategic importance of Beijing’s growing military footprint in Africa.