China and Laos Open Joint Air Force Training Facility

China and Laos have opened a jointly operated air-force support and training facility at Ban Keun Airport in Laos, marking a new stage in military cooperation between the two countries. China’s Defence Ministry said the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Centre and the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy began operating on September 30, 2026, following an inauguration attended by Lao Defence Minister Khamlieng Outhakaysone and a delegation from China’s People’s Liberation Army. The ministry said the facilities are intended to help Laos train air-force pilots and deepen practical cooperation between the two militaries. It described the project as jointly maintained and operated, and said it complies with the laws of both countries and does not target a third party. The reports do not establish the facility’s access arrangements or the number of Chinese personnel or aircraft based there. Commercial satellite imagery cited in the reporting indicates construction at Ban Keun began around October 2025 and had reached substantial scale by September 2026. The site’s longest runway is about 2,000 metres.