Gwadar: China’s Potential Strategic Strongpoint in Pakistan

Ports are a key enabler for China’s economic, political, and potentially military expansion across the globe. This case study of Gwadar port, part of the China Maritime Studies Institute’s report series on China’s Indian Ocean “strategic strongpoints” (战略支点), reveals that while Gwadar may one day serve as a major platform for China’s economic, diplomatic, and military interactions across the region, as of August 2020 it remains largely underdeveloped and underutilized.