China takes operational control of strategic deep-water seaport on Pakistan's southwest coast
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China has taken operational control of a strategic deep-water Pakistani seaport that could serve as a vital economic hub for Beijing.
Control of Gwadar port on Pakistan's southwest coast was transferred to a state-owned Chinese company in a signing ceremony Monday in Islamabad that was broadcast on TV.
China paid much of the $250 million originally needed to construct the port, which was previously run by a Singaporean company. It has been a commercial failure since it opened in 2007 because Pakistan never completed the road network to link Gwadar to the rest of the country.
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China's interest is driven by concerns about energy security as it seeks to fuel its booming economy. It wants a place to anchor pipelines to secure oil and gas supplies from the Persian Gulf.