New Delhi, Nov 26th : , With the US withdrawing from Afghanistan and its declining influence on the Middle East, China is expanding its military footprint in this oil-rich region. According to the latest satellite images, China is building a multi-storey military facility at the UAE port Khalifa.
This is a major concern for India as well as the US.
The UAE government claimed ignorance and defended itself by stating that they did not know about the building at the terminal, which was constructed and operated by COSCO, a Chinese shipping company.
Although construction work appears to have ceased, Indian intelligence agencies said that it was just the tip of the iceberg after a warning from the US.Chinese has also inked deals in the region with other countries, including Afghanistan.A source said that their sole interest was to cash in on the declining US influence.
The UAE is a regional hub of Chinese investments through the Belt and Road Initiative.
UAE is the largest trade partner in the Middle East and is responsible for 28% of China’s non oil trade with the Middle East.More than 200,000 Chinese residents live and invest in the Gulf nation.
Beijing has always considered direct military intervention abroad a last resort.However, reports about the alleged military base located in the UAE could indicate that the People’s Liberation Army might be willing to fight the US military in the Gulf.
Sources said that China is becoming more confident and ambitious in realizing its dream of national rejuvenation.This means it will naturally seek global power and influence to match its growing economic presence around the world.
Analysts suggest that such a structure would still demonstrate China’s soft power projections abroad – a similar perception to Bejing’s logistical supply base Djibouti.
A security analyst stated that any plan for China’s strategic troop deployment in the Gulf base would be a failure because it would be surrounded by a complex network larger and more sophisticated American military bases across all fronts.
The biggest problem for Chinese decision-makers is domestic – due to rising nationalism at home and China’s growing international interests.
Sumit Kumar Singh can reached at sumit.k@ians.in
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