CHINA LIKELY TO SET UP MILITARY BASE IN PAKISTAN

WASHINGTON: China is likely to establish additional military bases in Pakistan and other countries with which it has longstanding friendly ties and similar strategic interests, a new Pentagon report said today as the world’s largest army increasingly flexed its muscles.

In its annual report to the Congress on China’s military build-up, the US Department of Defence said China’s construction of military base in the strategic location of Djibouti is just the first of what will likely be an ongoing expansion in friendly foreign ports around the world.

China is expanding its access to foreign ports to preposition 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.

“China most likely will seek to establish additional military bases in countries with which it has a longstanding friendly relationship and similar strategic interests, such as Pakistan, and in which there is a precedent for hosting foreign militaries,” the Pentagon said.

The report cautioned, however, that China’s efforts to build more bases “may be constrained by the willingness of countries to support” the presence of China’s People’s Liberation Army in one of their ports.

Notably, China is developing the strategically located Gwadar port in Balochistan, which many experts in the US say is aimed towards having a military presence.

“In February 2016, China began construction of a military base in Djibouti and probably will complete it within the next year,” it said, adding China claims that this facility is designed to help the navy and army further participate in UN peacekeeping operations, carry out escort missions in the waters near Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, and provide humanitarian assistance.

This initiative, along with regular naval vessel visits to foreign ports, both reflects and amplifies China s growing influence, extending the reach of its armed forces.

Reacting sharply to the Pentagon report, China said the US Defence Department has made “irresponsible” remarks about the country’s military. DHAKA: The European Union has slapped new security screening on imports from Bangladesh, a move that is likely to make it costlier for businesses in the South Asian country to sell products to EU nations.

Just over half of Bangladeshi exports go to the European bloc, accounting for $18.68 billion in revenues during the last fiscal year. Those shipments, by air or sea, will now have to be screened by bomb-detecting dogs and devices.

Bangladesh has none of these facilities, so cargo will have to be routed through a third country where security screening is possible.

The move makes Bangladesh the 13th country designated as “-high risk” for EU commerce. It was unexpected, according to Bangladeshi government officials, who said they were given no explanation when informed Monday of the change. The EU ambassador’s office in Dhaka did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last year, Britain, Germany and Australia banned direct cargo shipments from Dhaka’s international airport, citing its poor security system.

The country has suffered a string of deadly attacks in recent years claimed by extremists targeting perceived enemies of Islam, including bloggers, rights activists, atheists, religious minorities and foreigners.

The government has blamed the attacks on homegrown extremists bent on reestablishing Islamic rule in the secular nation.

The government has offered little comment about the EU move.