Although Chinese economic might around the world has been clear for many years, in the military sphere, China has long been perceived as primarily a regional power. But in military matters, too, Beijing has voiced its determination to become a leading global power. Overseas military access and basing is a critical component of China’s global military ambitions. With the opening of its first overseas military facility in Djibouti in 2017, China appeared to take a major step toward global power projection. The strategic implications of such access and basing outside of China’s immediate periphery are hotly debated, however, with some observers warning of the perils of Chinese overseas basing and others arguing that China has not shown signs of becoming a “traditional” military actor in regions far from its shores.