(Deccan Chronicle-India) Arun Kumar Singh - In 2009, after a year of anti-piracy deployments in the Gulf of Aden, a retired Chinese admiral publicly propounded the need for the Chinese Navy to acquire a base near this strategic region to overcome numerous logistics and maintenance problems and also allow some rest to its sailors. At present, Chinese warships are deployed for four to six months in the Gulf of Aden without access to ports. While the Chinese government distanced itself from the admiral's proposal, the Chinese already have a suitable base available (Gwadar port that they built in Pakistan), and will soon have another one in Sri Lanka (Hambantota port, which they are building), even as media reports hint at another Chinese-built port in Burma.
2010-02-01 09:55:50Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive