DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Strategic Importance of Gwadar Port for China
South Asian Studies
Contents
Introduction 3
History 4
Value to Pakistan 5
China’s Strategic Interests 6
International Concerns 9
Conclusion 10
Strategic Importance of Gwadar Port for China
Introduction
Gwadar is a city, part of the South Asian continent, previously ruled by Oman till 1958, and now legal part of Pakistan (officially by 8 September 1958). In Pakistan, besides Karachi and Port Qasim, Gwadar Port has become the third main sea port, situated on 600 km coastal belt and western side of Baluchistan area. It has been considered one of the most important trade routes for oil tankers of the Persian Gulf. Initially it was just a fishing village, along the Makran Coast, now has taken its toll to provide strong importance to China, South Asia as well as Middle East. Because of its strategic importance it has been said to, not only just result in strong Pak-China friendship but also provide a lot of opportunities for hefty increase in employment and for the rise of generation of good revenue in billions.
The highways that have been constructed in the process connect Gwadar Port not only to the Central Asian and Gulf regions but also to China; to the rest of the world, mainly because of the existence of warm waters that makes it easier to access the sea even in the near winters where other waters fall into the freezing point category. ECO highway, Coastal Highway and other big projects are some of the results and those networks that link Gwadar to Karachi, Makran and Baluchistan. However the construction of the port is only one of the other components of the main plan for Gwadar.
History
The port is located to the west o...
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Personal transportation between major metropolitan areas is conducted through a combination of railway systems and domestic highway systems. With the efficient ability for people to move across country, there are no largely unproductive regions of the country. Modern transportation infrastructure creates efficient and rapid transportation, allowing increased economic power, but they also allow for increased military power within the state. If attacked the government can move troops and equipment overland quickly and efficiently and counter and naval based threats.
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