China plans to setup military base in Pakistan

As per a report by Pentagon, China with an intention to expand its global military presence and to increase its influence in a manner that avoids direct conflict with other countries, has concrete plans to set up a military base in Pakistan. Pakistan has also emerged as the biggest market for Chinese arms exports, a focus area in Beijing’s expansion plans, the report titled ‘Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2017’, said.

“China most likely will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a long-standing friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan, and in which there is a precedent for hosting foreign militaries,” the report submitted to the U.S. Congress said.

“China is expanding its access to foreign ports to pre-position the necessary logistics support to regularise and sustain deployments in the “far seas”, waters as distant as the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean,” the report said, noting the ongoing construction of a Chinese military base in Djibouti.

The Pentagon report makes “irresponsible remarks on China’s national defence development and reasonable actions in defending our territorial sovereignty and security interests in disregard of the facts,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing.