China rejects charges of building Naval base at Gwadar

BEIJING: China has categorically stated that it has no intention building Naval Base at Pakistan’s deep seaport, Gwadar, reports China Economic Net (CEN) quoting a white-paper issued here on the country’s national defence.

The paper scotched rumors and speculations, including recent media reports claiming that China and Cambodia have signed a "secret agreement" which allows China to use a naval base of Cambodia and that, in addition to Gwadar Port, China is also seeking to build a military base in Jiwani, Pakistan.

The reports alleged that China's Belt and Road Initiative is moving toward militarization. Some Western scholars even believe China's real purpose behind the initiative is military expansion, and economic cooperation is only as a "bait" to "entrap" countries.According to the paper, given the current tensions between China and the United States, it has become easier for some to hype the "China conspiracy" theory, which stems from a misunderstanding of China's military strategy and intentions. To outsiders, China's military growth and defensive defense policy are a contradiction.

The US believes that because of its growing military power, China will inevitably seek goals beyond the mere safeguarding of national security. The US also speculates that China, like other powerful countries, will pursue regional or global hegemony using its military power.

The new defense white paper clears such misunderstandings.An increasingly fierce global military competition has made it necessary for China to catch up with the world's leading military powers, implement extensive military reforms and establish a new management and operational command system. China now has a clearer national defense strategy, which focuses on improving combat readiness: "We will not attack unless we are attacked, but we will surely counterattack if attacked.

"This does not mean China will fundamentally change its defensive defense policy. In fact, the new white paper demonstrates that China has found ways to resolve the contradiction between military expansion and the defensive defense policy by increasing transparency as China's military strength grows.

The white paper not only details the new composition and scale of the combat forces, but also reflects the strategic planning of China's military modernization. The overall plan is to compress non-combatants, significantly reduce the size of the army's active service, and moderately enhance strategy and combat forces in emerging areas. Which show China's military strategy remains focused on national defense.

The paper made it quite clear that the PLA's goal in the new era is to become a constructive force for maintaining the world order and global peace.

China has long believed the purpose of military should not be to bully other countries but instead to maintain peace. This principle will help a rising China to better integrate with the world, the paper added.