China's String of Pearls?

[Chinese-Dragon]

No. Turning down the Gwadar scenario is quite sensible for China. Pakistan has more baggage's than advantage in setting up a military base.

Pakistan as such is an instable country, a Balochistan in particular is a very volatile region where the local population dislikes foreigners. There is an active insurgency in Balochistan. And there have been examples of Chinese citizens being killed by them.
Pakistan, unlike China cannot kill off these insurgencies with a heavy hand in today's information age.

And it is obvious that Pakistan is trying to get China to set up a base to get security cover in that region, particularly piss off the Americans and Indians. Get international recognition that Pakistan is a stable country, while getting Chinese to be even more committed to Pakistan's security!

Whereas all that China wants is a pipeline from Gwadar to China and a trade route. Both of which cannot be defended by PLAN even while sitting at Gwadar port.

Secondly, were PLAN to maintain a base at Gwadar, they would need to be supplied massively and any connection inevitably goes from Malacca Straits, which is very very vulnerable by both Indian and US Navy.

Thirdly, while Pakistan wants China to be involved in security of Pakistan, Pakistan's actions on international stage - like supporting terrorism, Taliban, occupying Kargil, its military fostering islamic insurgents from all over the globe would inevitably put China in a tough spot were the international community to get riled by Pakistan's actions.

And China has a lot more trade with these countries than the main benefit that Pakistan provides - a shorter route for oil and a way to keep India occupied.

So from a cost-benefit perspective, it does not make any sense for China to have a military base in Pakistan.

However as for a military base in other countries - I would not have an idea. Sri Lanka has expressly denied that their port would ever be given for military purposes, it is solely a commercial port.

That seems like a reasonable analysis.

We're obviously not interested in pissing off America + India in the IOR just for fun, we aren't Russia or France (who both enjoy pissing of the USA just for the sake of it). For us it has to be about the monetary or strategic gains, the cost/benefit ratio.

 

[KRAIT]

And how many more years of economic growth are "sufficient" for us to reach an acceptable level of power and development (enough to challenge the USA)? Several more decades at least.
Until then, this policy of "no overseas military bases" isn't going to change.

And if you do it, they will call it Aggression.

while maintaining their bases, of course.

 

[Contrarian]

That seems like a reasonable analysis.

We're obviously not interested in pissing off America + India in the IOR just for fun, we aren't Russia or France (who both enjoy pissing of the USA just for the sake of it). For us it has to be about the monetary or strategic gains, the cost/benefit ratio.

I would say that the CPC did not bite the bullet of temptation that Pakistan was offering. No general worth his salt ever says no to extending military deployement and getting military bases.

So it was cold, hard calculations by CPC, and commendable. Rather how like US asked India to get involved in Afghanistan counter terrorism security by sending in our Army there. Huge temptation - Pakistan would have had sleepless nights, but resisted by the Government and as it has turned out - a very wise decision.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

I would say that the CPC did not bite the bullet of temptation that Pakistan was offering. No general worth his salt ever says no to extending military deployement and getting military bases.

So it was cold, hard calculations by CPC, and commendable. Rather how like US asked India to get involved in Afghanistan counter terrorism security by sending in our Army there. Huge temptation - Pakistan would have had sleepless nights, but resisted by the Government and as it has turned out - a very wise decision.

commendable only for India's sake not China

better get some coffee and pull out your rack of old movies because what we see on ground is different to what you have access to.
just saw a lot of commotion of Pak -China military officers who have flown from Zhob to Ga wader recently.

I think you already have a battalion or two stationed in Afghanistan to safeguard your "cultural centres" we would actually love to see more of you military deployed in that Imperial Morgue commonly known as Afghanistan.

by the way, commercial or military base, it doesnt matter to us because the place has come on the regional and world map and the development has brought a lot of prosperity and jobs to the place and little and small businesses are sprouting to support each other and the inhabitants of the town and the base itself.

once the Baloch sardars get their cut they will be sweet as well. normally it involves some double cabin trucks and jobs (where "employees" dont turn up but to only collect the salary, I know so because someone I know has been doing it while employed in OGDC).

 

[haviZsultan]

We were just trying to secure our resource and trade routes...

... then suddenly ONE American defence report comes out mentioning something they referred to as a "String of Pearls"...

Now everyone in the region is buying it! Talk about American soft power.

For the record, China's official policy is NO MILITARY BASES OVERSEAS. As has been stated countless numbers of times.

Even if offered military bases? US has 750+... surely China wishes to compete with them.

 

[Contrarian]

commendable only for India's sake not China

better get some coffee and pull out your rack of old movies because what we see on ground is different to what you have access to.
just saw a lot of commotion of Pak -China military officers who have flown from Zhob to Ga wader recently.

I think you already have a battalion or two stationed in Afghanistan to safeguard your "cultural centres" we would actually love to see more of you military deployed in that Imperial Morgue commonly known as Afghanistan.

by the way, commercial or military base, it doesnt matter to us because the place has come on the regional and world map and the development has brought a lot of prosperity and jobs to the place and little and small businesses are sprouting to support each other and the inhabitants of the town and the base itself.

once the Baloch sardars get their cut they will be sweet as well. normally it involves some double cabin trucks and jobs (where "employees" dont turn up but to only collect the salary, I know so because someone I know has been doing it while employed in OGDC).

In Afghanistan, yes a detachment is there to protect our embassies as well as the projects being built. There were instances of 'certain' factions attacking Indian projects there - notably the road projects which connect areas that some nations donot want. And they have been successful in the task mandated to them.

That said, it is completely different from what US and many Western nations wanted - a full fledged COIN ops undertaken by Indian Military.

As far as Gwadar is concerned. It was intelligent of China to not fall for the base that Pakistan Army wanted to give them.
And as long as it remains a commercial entity and not host permanent foreign militaries - India is more than happy. India would like more and more regional trade and interconnectivity.

 

[Gentelman]

well best for Pakistan especially for PN future if gawadar is developed...
and it would strengthen out ties with chinees brothers...

well best for Pakistan especially for PN future if gawadar is developed...
and it would strengthen out ties with chinees brothers...

 

[Irfan Baloch]

well best for Pakistan especially for PN future if gawadar is developed...
and it would strengthen out ties with chinees brothers...

As already explained, we are not complaining

by the way, commercial or military base, it doesnt matter to us because the place has come on the regional and world map and the development has brought a lot of prosperity and jobs to the place and little and small businesses are sprouting to support each other and the inhabitants of the town and the base itself.


Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/strate...115-chinas-string-pearls-2.html#ixzz2Kyc6horD

 

[Capt.Popeye]

That seems like a reasonable analysis.

We're obviously not interested in pissing off America + India in the IOR just for fun, we aren't Russia or France (who both enjoy pissing of the USA just for the sake of it). For us it has to be about the monetary or strategic gains, the cost/benefit ratio.

The biggest underlying factor in Chinese thinking or Philosophy is Balance. The need to maintain Balance between Yin and Yang illustrates this very clearly. The Chinese aversion to setting up Military Bases also derives from the fact that other powers have occupied parts of China in the past. China has neither forgotten that nor does it seek to emulate it. All the Chinese interest arises out of commercial interests.

 

[zxmint]

Don't over interpret China's actions. We just want to protect our energy support line. Indians are always thinking about China's threats but actually we never view you as an enemy. We got much stronger "potential enemies" in the east.

 

[danger007]

Don't over interpret China's actions. We just want to protect our energy support line. Indians are always thinking about China's threats but actually we never view you as an enemy. We got much stronger "potential enemies" in the east.

When a neighbor growing in monster size, it is always cause worries... as we fought a war... Awareness is not wrong, is it?

 

[zxmint]

When a neighbor growing in monster size, it is always cause worries... as we fought a war... Awareness is not wrong, is it?

Well, it was born of that size... India is fast developing too and we are really glad to see that. It means more chances to cooperate. Both China and India are not rich countries now, we both have so many problems on domestic things, then how stupid to choose to against each other?

 

[zxmint]

well best for Pakistan especially for PN future if gawadar is developed...
and it would strengthen out ties with chinees brothers...

well best for Pakistan especially for PN future if gawadar is developed...
and it would strengthen out ties with chinees brothers...

I have several Pakistan friends in US and I feel like we‘ve become born friends after we knew each others' nationality. LOL.

 

[Gentelman]

I have several Pakistan friends in US and I feel like we‘ve become born friends after we knew each others' nationality. LOL.

well both nations have friendly towards each other...

 

[shuttler]

China has absolutely no military base in Hambantota in Sri Lanka. And the Sri Lankan Premier has expressly cleared GoI's doubts by categorically stating that Hambantota port is a commercial port and will not host any Chinese military now or in the future. No action would be taken by Sri Lanka that would undermine India's security.


I dont know about Gwadar. Pakistani Govt is always eager to please China. Maybe they would allow military facilities as well. For now, it appears to be a commercial operation

Prove it with links and pictures or otherwise dont spread your fantasies on forums