Two Chinese ships arrive for security of Gwadar port
China has handed over two ships to Pakistan Navy to ensure joint security of the trade route along the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor and the Gwadar port.
The formal handover of the ships, held at a ceremony at Gwadar port attended by Chinese officials, is likely to raise alarm in India. The recently built and equipped ships with state of the art guns will be part of the Pakistan Navy, local media reported.
Pakistan Navy Vice Admiral Arifullah Hussaini received the ships, which have been named after nearby rivers Hingol and Basol.
Hussaini told his audience at the ceremony in Gwadar port that the Pakistan Navy has become stronger with the induction of the Chinese-built ships.
He said the ships, which have become part of the Pakistan Navy, will be deployed for the security of the Gwadar port as well as the sea route of CPEC.
The Chinese government will be providing two more ships to Pakistan Navy, named Dasht and Zhob . Work on the ships is underway in China and is expected to be completed soon.
Pakistan has already raised a new division of the army along the CPEC route and in and around the Gwadar port.
China has so far invested $14 billion in 30 early harvest projects to be completed under the CPEC, a flagship project of the One Belt One Road initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Of the 30 projects, 16 were under construction, a statement quoted Chinese embassy deputy chief of mission Zhao Lijian as saying.
He said some early harvest projects would be completed by early 2018 while hydroelectric power projects would be ready in 2020.