Geostrategic Imperatives of Gwadar Port for China

Abstract

The increasing demands of energy supplies and limitations of the possession of natural resources of energy have been making every nature of military, economic and diplomatic stratagems of nation states. The demand and supply gap has produced an environment of strategic competition among the leading energy consuming states. China has serious concerns about the likelihood of interruptions in the smooth transportation of oil and gas shipment tankers towards China from Africa and the Gulf region through the Strait of Malacca in relation to attacks by the pirates or terrorists, as 80% of oil used in China goes through shipping lines of the Strait of Malacca. China desires for reduction of its dependency on the Strait of Malacca and has been making efforts for the development of alternative transit routes. Pakistan has been in the position of bridging the gap by making available the possible shortest transit route for the shipping of energy. China has been looking for alternate prospects to safeguard its energy supplies. In the military and strategic terms, Gawadar may help to monitor the Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs) originating from the Persian Gulf and bottle neck at Strait of Hormuz. Beijing can aspire to exercise considerable influence in the region, and monitor the Indo-US maritime collaboration in the Indian Ocean. This paper discusses the geostrategic imperatives of Gwadar for China in terms of Chinese quest for maritime, economic and energy security.