Vientiane:Laos: The recent inauguration of a joint air support center in Laos marks a significant step in China's ongoing strategy to expand its influence into the Indian Ocean, according to a Taiwanese defense expert.According to Focus Taiwan, China's defense ministry announced that the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Center at Ban Keun Airport in Vientiane Province, along with the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy, officially opened on September 29. The center is intended to aid Laos in strengthening pilot training, with assurances from China's defense ministry that it is not aimed at any third party but seeks to enhance military cooperation and regional peace.Su Tzu-yun, director at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, interprets the project as part of China's long-term ambition to extend its global influence. Since the "Belt and Road Initiative" began, China has focused on establishing overseas naval and air bases to secure crucial shipping routes in the Indian Ocean an d address concerns related to the Strait of Malacca.The People's Liberation Army already operates military facilities in Djibouti, East Africa, and a naval base in Ream, Cambodia. The new base in Laos is expected to expand China's military reach towards the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Strait of Malacca.These developments align with China's strategy to safeguard maritime transport routes and ensure access to the sea, protected by military capabilities. This strategy aims to maintain the flow of crude oil and natural gas to China in the event of a blockade at the Strait of Malacca.Su also noted that Ban Keun Airport is situated 45 kilometers northwest of Vientiane and features a runway capable of accommodating fighter jets. However, there is potential for China to extend the runway to facilitate larger aircraft like bombers and transport planes. In a conflict scenario in the South China Sea or Taiwan Strait, U.S. Air Force operations from Diego Garcia may face interception risks as they cro ss the Indochina Peninsula.