In addition to U.S. and French bases, Djibouti is also home to Japanese, Spanish, and Italian bases, and Saudi Arabia has one under construction in the East African nation that has become a major strategic hub for the maintenance of Middle East security. In a list of the global implications of China’s base, the Times of India describes the strategic military significance of Djibouti, and describes China’s choice to open its first overseas base there in the context of its ambitious One Belt One Road initiative: