Nearly 40 geologists from China and Pakistan have teamed up to survey the Makran Trench in Balochistan following Beijing&#39;s concerns over the possibility of a massive earthquake affecting the strategic Gwadar port in the volatile province, a media report said today. 
 
The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates and is close to the Pakistani deep-sea port of Gwadar which China has acquired on a 40-year lease. 
 
Gwadar forms part of the important link for the over USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) connecting to China&#39;s Xinjiang province through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 
 
&quot;It has been more than 70 years since the last big earthquake shook the Makran Trench off the south coast of Pakistan but if and when the next catastrophic one happens, it could disturb more than the landscape,&quot; the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post reported. 
 
Any potential disaster in the area could undermine Beijing&#39;s ambitions to revive trade from China through Asia to Africa and Europe through Gwadar port, the report said. 
 
That is why scientists from China and Pakistan have teamed up to survey the trench and assess the dangers lurking in the deep, it said. 
 
The trench is a seismically active zone in the Arabian Sea where one plate is inching beneath the other in a &quot;subduction zone&quot;. 
 
The last major earthquake was of 8.1 magnitude in 1945, which triggered a tsunami that battered Iran, Pakistan, Oman and India and killed around 4,000 people. 
 
Last year, a 6.3-magnitude quake hit the area. 
 
Despite the damage, not much is known about the zone. 
 
Seismologist Yang Hongfeng from Chinese University of Hong Kong said scientific expeditions in this part of the ocean were quite rare. 
 
&quot;A lot of important scientific questions remain unanswered,&quot; Yang said. 
 
&quot;The results will definitely advance our understanding&nbsp;[while] providing critical data to reduce the risk in the region,&quot; he was quoted as saying in the report. 
 
The quest is to get a better understanding of the subduction zone, which scientists say is unusual in part because it has a deposit of soft sediment several kilometres thick, Yang said. 
 
To find answers, roughly 40 researchers from the two countries boarded the Experimental 3-vessel for the trench last month, lowering instruments into the waters to do a &quot;CT scan&quot; of the Earth&#39;s structure. 
 
The expedition was a joint effort by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology in Guangzhou and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)in Pakistan. 
 
It was funded largely by the Chinese government-funded Chinese Academy of Sciences, said Asif Inam, NIO director general. 
 
&quot;The information and data being collected during the expedition would make a significant contribution to coastal developers and planners,&quot; Inam told South China Morning Post. 
 
The threat of an earthquake near the port is a big concern for both countries. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s a whole lot at stake. The port, if fully developed and operationalised, can be a critical asset for Pakistan, and there&#39;s no nation that Pakistan would be more comfortable entrusting it to than its close friend China,&quot; Michael Kugelman, said a senior associate for South Asia at the US-based think tank Wilson Centre. 
 
Kugelman said the destructive impact that an earthquake or tsunami could have on the operations of the port should not be overstated, given that actual operations were still limited. 
 
&quot;Still, given issues of proximity and general vulnerability&nbsp;Pakistan doesn&#39;t cope or respond well to natural disasters, given a lack of resources and incapacity&nbsp;there&#39;s certainly reason to believe that intense earthquake activity would pose a clear and present danger to Gwadar,&quot; he was quoted as saying in the report.

 
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The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates and is close to the Pakistani deep-sea port of Gwadar which China has acquired on a 40-year lease

Nearly 40 geologists from China and Pakistan have teamed up to survey the Makran Trench in Balochistan following Beijing's concerns over the possibility of a massive earthquake affecting the strategic Gwadar port in the volatile province, a media report said today. The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates and is close to the Pakistani deep-sea port of Gwadar which China has acquired on a 40-year lease. Gwadar forms part of the important link for the over USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) connecting to China's Xinjiang province through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). "It has been more than 70 years since the last big earthquake shook the Makran Trench off the south coast of Pakistan but if and when the next catastrophic one happens, it could disturb more than the landscape," the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post reported. Any potential disaster in the area could undermine Beijing's ambitions to revive trade from China through Asia to Africa and Europe through Gwadar port, the report said. That is why scientists from China and Pakistan have teamed up to survey the trench and assess the dangers lurking in the deep, it said. The trench is a seismically active zone in the Arabian Sea where one plate is inching beneath the other in a "subduction zone". The last major earthquake was of 8.1 magnitude in 1945, which triggered a tsunami that battered Iran, Pakistan, Oman and India and killed around 4,000 people. Last year, a 6.3-magnitude quake hit the area. Despite the damage, not much is known about the zone. Seismologist Yang Hongfeng from Chinese University of Hong Kong said scientific expeditions in this part of the ocean were quite rare. "A lot of important scientific questions remain unanswered," Yang said. "The results will definitely advance our understanding [while] providing critical data to reduce the risk in the region," he was quoted as saying in the report. The quest is to get a better understanding of the subduction zone, which scientists say is unusual in part because it has a deposit of soft sediment several kilometres thick, Yang said. To find answers, roughly 40 researchers from the two countries boarded the Experimental 3-vessel for the trench last month, lowering instruments into the waters to do a "CT scan" of the Earth's structure. The expedition was a joint effort by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology in Guangzhou and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)in Pakistan. It was funded largely by the Chinese government-funded Chinese Academy of Sciences, said Asif Inam, NIO director general. "The information and data being collected during the expedition would make a significant contribution to coastal developers and planners," Inam told South China Morning Post. The threat of an earthquake near the port is a big concern for both countries. "There's a whole lot at stake. The port, if fully developed and operationalised, can be a critical asset for Pakistan, and there's no nation that Pakistan would be more comfortable entrusting it to than its close friend China," Michael Kugelman, said a senior associate for South Asia at the US-based think tank Wilson Centre. Kugelman said the destructive impact that an earthquake or tsunami could have on the operations of the port should not be overstated, given that actual operations were still limited. "Still, given issues of proximity and general vulnerability Pakistan doesn't cope or respond well to natural disasters, given a lack of resources and incapacity there's certainly reason to believe that intense earthquake activity would pose a clear and present danger to Gwadar," he was quoted as saying in the report.

China, Pakistan survey Makran Trench over quake threat to Gwadar

China said on Tuesday that it had a good relationship not just with Pakistan but with India as well.

Consul General of China in Kolkata Ma Zhanwu said it was simplistic to say that China was supporting Pakistan and that China had a good relationship not just with Pakistan but with many other countries including India.

&quot;It is simplistic to say that China is supporting Pakistan. I would say that China has a good relationship with Pakistan as we do with many other countries, including India. Right now we have a good relationship with India,&quot; the China consul general said.

China is considered an ally of Pakistan and has backed the country on many issues against India including the designation of Masood Azhar a global terrorist by the United Nations.

Consul General of China in Kolkata Ma Zhanwu said China had a good relationship not just with Pakistan but with many other countries including India

China said on Tuesday that it had a good relationship not just with Pakistan but with India as well. Consul General of China in Kolkata Ma Zhanwu said it was simplistic to say that China was supporting Pakistan and that China had a good relationship not just with Pakistan but with many other countries including India. "It is simplistic to say that China is supporting Pakistan. I would say that China has a good relationship with Pakistan as we do with many other countries, including India. Right now we have a good relationship with India," the China consul general said. China is considered an ally of Pakistan and has backed the country on many issues against India including the designation of Masood Azhar a global terrorist by the United Nations.

Simplistic to say China backs Pakistan: China consul general

China on Tuesday defended its friend Pakistan against strong criticism by Donald Trump that the country is not doing enough to counter terrorism.

In a major speech outlining US policy on Afghanistan, the American president slammed Islamabad for offering safe haven to &quot;agents of chaos&quot;.

Successive US administrations have criticised Pakistan for links with the Taliban and for harbouring leading jihadists -- like Osama bin Laden.

&quot;We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting,&quot; Trump said, warning that vital aid could be cut.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying took a contrary view, telling reporters that Pakistan &quot;has made great sacrifices and contributions to fighting terrorism&quot;.

&quot;The international community should fully affirm the efforts by Pakistan,&quot; she told a regular press briefing. 
 
Beijing is investing around $50 billion in its South Asian neighbour as part of a plan unveiled in 2015 to link its far-western Xinjiang region to the Pakistani port of Gwadar in Balochistan province with upgraded infrastructure, power lines and transport links.

But fears over safety arose earlier this year when two Chinese workers were abducted in the provincial capital Quetta.

Balochistan is at the heart of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project but also racked by separatist and Islamist insurgencies.

Pakistan responded by deploying a 15,000-strong military force to protect Chinese working on energy and infrastructure projects in the country.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman said Pakistan 'has made great sacrifices and contributions to fighting terrorism'

China on Tuesday defended its friend Pakistan against strong criticism by Donald Trump that the country is not doing enough to counter terrorism. In a major speech outlining US policy on Afghanistan, the American president slammed Islamabad for offering safe haven to "agents of chaos". Successive US administrations have criticised Pakistan for links with the Taliban and for harbouring leading jihadists -- like Osama bin Laden. "We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting," Trump said, warning that vital aid could be cut. But Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying took a contrary view, telling reporters that Pakistan "has made great sacrifices and contributions to fighting terrorism". "The international community should fully affirm the efforts by Pakistan," she told a regular press briefing. Beijing is investing around $50 billion in its South Asian neighbour as part of a plan unveiled in 2015 to link its far-western Xinjiang region to the Pakistani port of Gwadar in Balochistan province with upgraded infrastructure, power lines and transport links. But fears over safety arose earlier this year when two Chinese workers were abducted in the provincial capital Quetta. Balochistan is at the heart of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor project but also racked by separatist and Islamist insurgencies. Pakistan responded by deploying a 15,000-strong military force to protect Chinese working on energy and infrastructure projects in the country.

China defends Pakistan against Trump criticism

China has handed over two ships to the Pakistan Navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a move likely to raise alarm in India. China handed over the two ships to the Pakistan Navy yesterday for joint security along the sea route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Dawn News reported.

The Gwadar port in Pakistan&#39;s restive Balochistan province has been developed under CPEC linking western China through Pakistan with the Middle East, Africa and Europe. The ships &mdash; named after two rivers Hingol and Basol near Gwadar &mdash; were received by Commander of the Pakistan Fleet, Vice Admiral Arifullah Hussaini.

Recently built in China and equipped with state-of-the-art guns, the ships will be part of the Pakistan Navy and also be used to protect the sea-lanes in the Arabian Sea. A ceremony was held in Gwadar where Chinese officials, who reached Gwadar aboard the ships, handed them over to their Pakistani counterparts. Director General of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Rear Admiral Jamil Akhter, Commander West Commodore Mohammad Waris and top naval and civilian officials were present on the occasion.

&quot;The Chinese ships have become part of the Pakistan Navy from today,&quot; Vice Admiral Hussaini said, adding that the navy would become stronger with the induction of the ships. He termed the induction of the Chinese ships into the Pakistan Navy as a &quot;historic moment&quot; and said the ships would be deployed for the security of the Gwadar port and the sea route of the CPEC.

The Chinese government will provide two more ships to the Pakistan Navy which have been named Dasht and Zhob after two districts in Balochistan. China is extending help and cooperation to Pakistan for security along the CPEC&#39;s land and sea routes. Pakistan has already raised a new division of the army to ensure security along the CPEC route and in and around the Gwadar port.

Security of Gwadar city has been handed over to the army&#39;s new division raised during the tenure of former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif. In the past, China has shied away from saying that it plans to deploy its naval ships in Gwadar, a move which could raise alarm in the US and India.

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.

The revamped Gwadar port became operational in November last year after two cargo ships laden with containers set off for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the UAE and EU.&nbsp;

(PTI)

 
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The Gwadar port links China with the Middle East, Africa and Europe through Pakistan. China has operational control of the port

China has handed over two ships to the Pakistan Navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a move likely to raise alarm in India. China handed over the two ships to the Pakistan Navy yesterday for joint security along the sea route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Dawn News reported. The Gwadar port in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province has been developed under CPEC linking western China through Pakistan with the Middle East, Africa and Europe. The ships — named after two rivers Hingol and Basol near Gwadar — were received by Commander of the Pakistan Fleet, Vice Admiral Arifullah Hussaini. Recently built in China and equipped with state-of-the-art guns, the ships will be part of the Pakistan Navy and also be used to protect the sea-lanes in the Arabian Sea. A ceremony was held in Gwadar where Chinese officials, who reached Gwadar aboard the ships, handed them over to their Pakistani counterparts. Director General of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Rear Admiral Jamil Akhter, Commander West Commodore Mohammad Waris and top naval and civilian officials were present on the occasion. "The Chinese ships have become part of the Pakistan Navy from today," Vice Admiral Hussaini said, adding that the navy would become stronger with the induction of the ships. He termed the induction of the Chinese ships into the Pakistan Navy as a "historic moment" and said the ships would be deployed for the security of the Gwadar port and the sea route of the CPEC. The Chinese government will provide two more ships to the Pakistan Navy which have been named Dasht and Zhob after two districts in Balochistan. China is extending help and cooperation to Pakistan for security along the CPEC's land and sea routes. Pakistan has already raised a new division of the army to ensure security along the CPEC route and in and around the Gwadar port. Security of Gwadar city has been handed over to the army's new division raised during the tenure of former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif. In the past, China has shied away from saying that it plans to deploy its naval ships in Gwadar, a move which could raise alarm in the US and India. 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. The revamped Gwadar port became operational in November last year after two cargo ships laden with containers set off for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the UAE and EU. (PTI)

China hands over 2 ships to Pakistan Navy for its strategic Gwadar port

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China, Pakistan survey Makran Trench over quake threat to Gwadar

Simplistic to say China backs Pakistan: China consul general

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China hands over 2 ships to Pakistan Navy for its strategic Gwadar port