China in talks with Baloch militants to secure Pakistan's Gwadar project: Report

In a new twist, a London-based newspaper said that China has been holding talks with militants in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province in order to secure its investment in the Gwadar port area.

London's Financial Times reported that China has been talking to the militants for the "past five years" and that the Chinese offcials have made a "lot of progress".

China has resons to worry after an attack at Gwadar port port in which 26 labourers were injured. The attack which was undertaken by unidentified men who hurled grenades at the workers was a major blow to Chinese investment in the region which has become hot button issue in Pakistan.

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No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The newspaper reported that at least three Chinese officials are involved in talks with the militants.

Last January, China had handed over two ships to the Pakistan Navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) project.

The Chinese government is expected to provide two more ships to the Pakistan Navy which have been named Dasht and Zhob after two districts in Balochistan.

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.