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If the flow of Middle East oil to China is squeezed, the Chinese economy will come to a grinding halt. Today China imports 32 percent of its oil needs. This need is expected to double by 2012. Of this oil, 58 percent comes from the Middle East-about 2 million barrels a day.It is expected that by 2012 almost 70 percent of all oil imports-about 4 million barrels a day-will come from the Middle East.Hence it is not difficult to understand why China decided to build a naval base in Gwadar in Bulochistan, a Pakistani province, not far from the Straits of Hormuz.It took five years and US$300 million to complete the base.To the Pakistani navy, its military value is great. It gives them a second home.Pakistan has always run the risk of a naval blockade at its single seaport of Karachi.To the Chinese, Gwadar is a vantage point from which to monitor naval activity in the Persian Gulf, a military port of call, a second home for China's naval fleet patrolling the Indian Ocean and, if need be, a forward base for any confrontation with Indian or U.S. naval fleets.Pakistan has been publicizing the commercial value of this port, but considering the hinterland that surrounds it, with scanty communications and sparsely populated areas, the commercial value is dubious. Also, Bulochistan province is not fully integrated into Pakistan politically or economically. An insurgency against Pakistani rule has been ongoing for the last 40 years. This will prevent any meaningful use of this port.Consider the other side of the equation: About 13 million barrels of oil per day pass through the Straits of Hormuz. Gwadar, not far from the Straits, could become a major choke point during any confrontation between big powers of the world. A well-equipped Chinese fleet anchored at Gwadar could temporarily threaten this supply and bring the world to its knees.Then the question is, why did the United States let China get away with this coup d'etat?It happened because the United States was too pre-occupied in Iraq. In 2002, when the Gwadar naval base and port construction began, it was Iraq that was on the mind of the United States. Also, very cleverly, the Pakistanis had aligned themselves with the U.S. War on Terror.Hence the United States was ready to okay anything the Pakistanis wanted as long as they stayed on the U.S. side. China made it appear that the naval base was a Pakistani initiative. As a matter of fact it was all along a Chinese initiative.Now this base is fully operational. Its deep-water port is suitable for berthing large naval vessels....To read more go to:
As in the days of Noah....
