Why China Does Not Want to See Pakistan Fail

The thing I love about the Internet is that there is potential for learning something new everyday. Like many Americans I am not a foreign policy newbie so this came as kind of a surprise to know that the Red Chinese have real stake in preventing a failed Pakistan.

China has invested heavily in the strategically important deep sea port of Gwadar in the Pakistani province of Baluchistan, which borders Afghanistan's unstable southeast. The port lies some 400 kilometres east of the Strait of Hormuz, through which 60 per cent of China's oil imports travel. It also provides China with a forward operating base from which to better project its naval power and ensure the safe passage of its seaborne energy shipments. A new rail line linking the Aynak copper mine with Gwadar is being considered, as is another linking Gwadar with China's western line in Xinjiang province.

The Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan is the largest untapped copper mine in the world and the Chinese have a claim on it. As most people know the Chinese are the biggest user of copper in the world so a stable Afghanistan is now very important to their interests.

Also a stable Pakistan would allow the Chinese to build that railroad that links Gwadar and China unmolested by militants nutjobs or failing governments. This railroad would save the Chinese billions in shipping costs because it would be so easy to move that Middle Eastern oil out to Gwadar and then stick it on a train destined for south west China instead of going all the way around.

Also the idea that the Chinese would have a blue water port right near the Persian Gulf should be an important strategic consideration as well. The Chinese could probably get a naval port out of any long term Pakistan/China military pact.

The Chinese could then use this port to watch their shipping and project their power into this volatile region to check American dominance there. They could even put military pressure on Iran if they threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz for whatever reason. I really marvel at how well the Red Chinese play the Great Game.