Seoul, South Korea
CNN
—
On Thursday, the US Marine Corps officially opened its first new base in 70 years. At his 4,000-acre facility on the island of Guam in the US Pacific, he is expected to house 5,000 Marines in one day.
As it is officially known, the construction of Camp Blaz took place during the Barack Obama administration to move Marines from the island of Okinawa in southern Japan, whose presence has led to resentment. As part of the deal, it was partially funded by the Japanese government.
The ceremony, which is technically a reactivation of the base, follows a gradual activation in October 2020 in a limited ceremony during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thursday’s formal opening comes amid a broader U.S. strategy to disperse and strengthen its forces around the Pacific amid rising tensions with China.
“Camp Blaz will serve as a strategic hub for the Department of Defense to realize its vision for the 2022 National Defense Strategy,” said a Marine Corps press release.
Its 2022 document states that two of the U.S. Department of Defense’s top priorities are “defending the homeland in response to the growing multi-domain threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC)” and “defending the United States, allies, and to deter strategic attacks against the United States.” partner. ”
Marine Corps Gen. David Berger touched on both at a ceremony in Guam on Thursday.
“A continued presence is critical to regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz is an important part of that. said Berger.
Vice Foreign Minister Yoshikawa said, “The Japan-U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of our people, the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, and the linchpin of Japan’s foreign policy.
According to the Marine Corps, Camp Blaz is the first new facility to operate since 1952, when the Marine Corps Logistics Base, now located in Albany, Georgia, opened.
As construction projects continue, the not yet fully completed base will join Andersen Air Force Base, another key U.S. military facility on the northern highlands of Guam.
