Gwadar: A New 'Pearl' or a Step in China's 'March West'?

Pakistan’s decision to allow a Chinese company to take over operations of the Gwadar port in Baluchistan has raised anxiety levels in South Asia. Since Jan. 31, when reports first emerged of the Pakistani Cabinet’s decision to transfer operational control of the port to China Overseas Port Holdings, India has been worried about the strategic consequences of what is being described as the establishment of a de facto Chinese outpost in the Indian Ocean.

Many in India see the move as another bead in China’s “string of pearls” strategy of investing in port and infrastructure deals throughout South and Southeast Asia in a manner that appears to encircle India. The reality could be different, though no less disquieting for New Delhi. In October, Wang Jisi, one of China’s most influential thinkers, proposed a radical idea that he christened “March West.” Its logic is quite simple: China thinks its relations with the U.S. are becoming increasingly contentious and zero-sum. According to Wang, as Washington rebalances to East Asia, China must avoid a head-on military confrontation with America. Instead, it should fill in the gaps left by the American retreat from West Asia and the Middle East. By doing so, China will be able to decisively influence regions free from a U.S.-dominated security order or a pre-existing economic integration mechanism. ...