China opens joint airfield in Laos with eyes on its military role

China has officially opened a joint airfield in Laos, but satellite imagery suggests construction activity continued in parts of the site. The Ban Keun airport, about 50 kilometers north of Vientiane near the Thai border, is China’s first overseas military facility focused on air power, part of a broader Beijing effort to extend influence beyond its borders. Defense experts and Laos’ neighbors are watching less for what the airport can do today and more for what it could become. The runway is roughly 2,000 meters and appears expandable by at least another 1,000 meters, potentially accommodating larger aircraft. China’s Ministry of Defense says the training center is not directed against third parties.