|
Pak-China Naval collusion |
 |
The presence of Chinese navy in the Myanmarese [Burmese] waters and its bid for facilities n Pakistan's Gwadar deep-sea port on the Baluchistan coast are indicators of China's maritime ambitions. China which lays claim to the whole of the South China Sea and the island territories therein, has been extending its naval presence in Myanmar, on the Western side of the ASEAN countries. It has obtained alistening posta [electronic eavesdropping] facilities on the Coco Islands which lie about a score of kilometres from the Indian Andamans groups of islands. Another prong into the North Arabian Sea was provided with the opening of the Karakoram Highway through the Himalayas into Pakistan. It is connected to the Karachi on by the north-south Pakistan national highway. But, more recently, China has shown interesting developing the Pakistani deep water port of Gwadar which lies west of the recently-commissioned naval base at Ormara. Access to Gwadar, military analysts say, will give China tremendous power projection capabilities in the nonh Arabian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. China has indicated that it is to invest heavily in the creation of infrastructure in Gwadar including a coastal road linking it to Karachi in the east and Jiwani on the border with Iran. Apan from permanent refueling facilities available 10 the Chinese Navy if it sets up house in Gwadar, it will cut to a small fraction the expenses China will have to undertake to maintain a naval presence in the north Arabian Sea or the Indian Ocean.
As remarked by military analyst, Cecil Victor, China and Pakistan are clearly preparing to pay a greater naval role in this pan of the world. The opening of Ormara naval base was the first step in Pakistan's plans \0 gain greater strategic naval depth in the region. The opening up of Gwadar and Pasni further west on the Makran coast of Baluchistan] will give it greater access to the oil-rich hinted on both sides of the Persian Gulf. China has been supplying naval craft to Pakistan which has also acquired a quantum jump in strategic naval power projection capability with the purchase from France of the air-independent technology [AIPI for latest Agosta class of submarines. This technology will allow its submarines.
All this emboldened China to express its resentment at the recent passage of The Indian Navy flotilla through the South China Sea in spite of the fact that under the Law of the Sea, the territorial waters are confined to 12 nautical miles from the coastal baseline and the exclusive economic activity is allowed to 2oo kilometers into the area but with the condition that right of passage of merchant and naval ships through this one cannot be curtailed or objected to.
China as a military power - military purchases.
In the past live years, the PRC has received close to four billion (US $399) dollar worth conventional weapons, hardware and military technology, putting itself as the ninth major recipient in the world. During the same period, it has stood as the seventh major arm exporter with transaction being close 10 2.5 billion dollars. Though the export side shows a lesser figure, it will go up substantially once deals such as with the Pakistanis for advanced lighter aircraft and others come along. In the import idea, it is worth worrying 10 note that over the last couple of years, it has devolved a considerable amount of money for obtaining several high-tech and state-of-The n-weapons and technologies.
The Chinese air superiority will be considerably enhanced by its recent import of Su-27 SK Flanker aircraft, Su-37 multi-role aircraft, Ka-31 AEW helicopters and others. More worrying is the fact that the Chinese have been able to obtain design and technology for most of their weapons, at a cost suitable to them. It is one its way to obtain design and technology for most of their weapons, at a cost suitable to them. It is on its way to obtain design and technology from Israel to Upgrade it J-IO aircraft. Russians and Israelis are not the only suppliers for them. they have even tried suppliers like Italy. France and Britain. In sum, the air defence and offense capabilities have increased considerably in the present era.
If the air superiority is top on the agenda, the desire to attain blue-water naval capability is not much behind. The recent Chinese acquisition of Kilo-class (both Type S77 EKM and Type 636) submarines, along with deals for Sovereignty class destroyers including associated weapons and electronic fits like SS-N-22 missile systems, SS.N-22 Sunburn/P-SO anti-ship missiles, SA-N-7 missile systems and SA-N-8 Gadfly missiles clearly show that The Chinese intention of not to coniine themselves 10 the South China Sea alone but to penetrate deep into the Indian Oceans as well.
The Chinese avowal of Indian Ocean is not to be taken lightly. The Chinese very well know the importance of maritime power in the present international security environment. The missile firing capability is another area where they have not lagged far behind their Western counterparts. They have in their arsenal a whole range of ballistic missiles, some of which carry 'beyond' continental reach. This year's (October, I 999) military parade was a classic show of military might where ICBMs like Feng-31 and 41 were prominently displayed. Along with this massive display of military might, the top leadership also went to the extent of annoying The United Stales by saying that it was their No I enemy.
Along with ICBMs, they also have [either in their possession or in development stage) a whole range of missile like JL-2 SLBMs. Type 093 SSGNs, Type 094 SSBMs OF-II and DF-15 SRBMs. YJ-S2 SLCMs, and DF-21 X IRBMs. It is to be noted that most of these lethal weapons are produced or developed by its own defence industries. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is also intransition a transition in tune with the changing times. The PLA is being shaped n recent times to become a 'Iean-mean-fighting-machine' to carry out any kind of future war. It is certainly gearing up itself, if needed, for a future limited war under modern high-tech conditions.
The largest standing army in the world has substantially reduced its number from a high of 4.75 million in the early 1980s to 2.5 million in the late 1990s. The reduction, although accompanied by troubles from within, is in tune with is modernization agenda. The PLA has developed several unique models like fist units rapid action force units and small units under the Second artillery to take on any challenge.
|
