2 ships sold to Pakistan Navy for Gwadar security: China
18 Jan 2017 3:19 AM IST
China on Monday said it has sold two naval ships to Pakistan to protect the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, saying the sale of vessels was part of “normal” military and trade cooperation.
“I have learnt that some reports said China has donated these vessels. This is not correct,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here while replying to a question that Beijing has gifted two vessels to Pakistan.
“The report mentioned surveillance ships. It is a normal military trade cooperation with the two countries and complies with the international commitments of the two countries,” Hua said.
“So I want clarify that it is not donation but it is military trade cooperation. Pakistani side bought these two ships from China,” she said.
China yesterday handed over the two ships to the Pakistan Navy for joint security along the sea route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The Gwadar port in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province has been developed under CPEC linking western China through Pakistan with the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
Recently built in China and equipped with state-of-the-art guns, the ships will be part of Pakistan Navy and also used to protect the sea-lanes in the Arabian Sea.
A ceremony was held in Gwadar where Chinese officials, who reached Gwadar aboard the ships, handed them over to their Pakistani counterparts. In the past, China has shied away from saying that it plans to deploy its naval ships in Gwadar, a move which could raise alarm in the US and India.
China has not only rebuilt the Gwadar port but also has its operational control. It is also building a network of roads and railways to link up its remote western region to Gwadar for easier access to the Arabian Sea.
The revamped Gwadar port became operational in November last year after two cargo ships laden with containers set off for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the UAE and EU.
India’s NSG membership can’t be farewell gift: China to US
China on Monday said admission of non- NPT signatories in NSG cannot be a “farewell gift” for countries to give to each other, a day after the outgoing Obama administration asserted that Beijing was an “outlier” in the efforts to make India a member of the elite nuclear club.
“Regarding India’s application to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), regarding non-NPT countries admission to the NSG, we have made our position clear before so I will not repeat it,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here, reacting to remarks by US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal, on the issue.
“Clearly there is one outlier that needs to be addressed and that is China,” Biswal had said on India’s NSG membership bid.
“I just want to point out that NSG membership shall not be some kind of (a) farewell gift for countries to give to each other,” Hua said, taking a dig at the Obama administration. China has been blocking India’s membership bid for the 48- member grouping despite backing from majority members on the grounds that India is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT).
China is advocating a two-step approach for admission of countries who have not signed the NPT. As per the new stand announced by Beijing, it first wants to find a solution that is applicable to the admission of all non-NPT countries followed by discussions on admitting specific nations.
Besides India, China is also interacting with Pakistan on the issue as Islamabad too applied for NSG membership after India.
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