Djibouti, Myanmar, Sri Lanka anchor Silk Road
Q. Which of the following are parts of Maritime Silk Road of China?
1) Djibouti
2) Singapore
3) Sri Lanka
4) Myanmar- Published on 16 Feb 16a. 1, 2, 3
b. 1, 3, 4
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
ANSWER: 1, 3, 4
- A military base in Djibouti along with major port development projects in Myanmar and Sri Lanka are defining the contours of China’s Maritime Silk Road—an oceanic connectivity project, of which, the Indian Ocean is the core.
- Djibouti would become an ideal location for securing sea lanes, in the vicinity, which radiate from this area towards Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline and the Arabian Sea.
- China says it is establishing naval “support facilities” in Djibouti, which has the ambition of emerging as another Singapore, leveraging its position at the intersection of busy shipping lanes.
- China has also quietly signed a deal to develop an Industrial Park and a deep water port in Kyaukphyu in Myanmar. The facility in the Bay of Bengal amplifies Beijing’s pitch to deepen its stakes in Myanmar in order to lower its dependence on the Straits of Malacca—a strategic commercial channel, dominated by the U.S. sixth fleet.
- China is already steering the Gwadar to Kashgar economic corridor, adding another node to its growing Indian Ocean profile.
