China didn't seek military access to Gwadar: Pakistan

BEIJING: China has not asked for military access to Pakistan ´s Chinese-funded, deep water port of Gwadar, a Pakistani rear admiral said Friday, amid persistent speculation in India and the United States it could become a Chinese naval base. Gwadar in Balochistan is the crown jewel of China´s $60 billion investment in Belt and Road Initiative projects in Pakistan. Last year the Pentagon singled out Pakistan as a possible location for a future Chinese military base, though China has said that is pure speculation. Diplomatic and security sources see Gwadar as the likely location. Speaking at the Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, which China styles as its answer to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, Rear Admiral Javaid Iqbal, Navy Secretary of the Pakistan Navy, said Gwadar is a "significant addition to the regionalmaritime landscape". "Let me emphasise that the Gwadar port is purely a commercial venture and has no military overtones," he told the forum. "Suitably located outside the potentially risky and confined waters of the Gulf, Gwadar has the potential to act not only as a transit port for China and Central Asia but also a trans shipment port impacting the prosperity of the entire region," Iqbal added. Speaking later to Reuters, he said he was very specific about the non-military nature of the port.