The debate in the United States over whether China plans to build new military bases in Africa resurfaced on Tuesday when the Director of Intelligence Analysis for U.S. forces in Africa (AFRICOM) published a column in Foreign Policy that bluntly stated it’s only a matter of when, not if the PLA will reach a new basing deal somewhere on the continent.

Eric Miller, writing in his personal capacity, challenged critics of this issue, including CGSP Managing Editor Cobus van Staden, who contend the U.S. has failed to present compelling evidence that the Chinese are serious about building a new base in Africa.