China seen basing troops in Mideast this decade to secure oil access

China is expected to deploy military forces and bases in the Middle East in the coming decade as part of an effort to protect its access to valuable resources like oil, according to British specialist on the Middle East Patrick Seale.

Seale told participants in a conference in Jordan last month that Chinese trade with Arab states amounted to $132 billion in 2008 and that its influence in the region was growing. China has reshuffled its diplomatic corp and is readying a much more agressive, forward leaning posture (see related artciel in “Conservatively Speaking” newsletter.)

China remains heavily reliant on oil shipments from the Middle East, including Iran and Saudi Arabia and is developing a strategy known as the “string of pearls” that is designed to protect – through both military, diplomatic and economic measures – sea lanes from the oil-rich region to China’s coast, where most development has taken place.

The “strings” have included seeking commercial seaports that have the potential to host Chinese warships, and alliances stretching from Gwadar in Pakistan, where a Chinese port is nearly finished, through the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia.

China currently has an unknown number of military forces in Sudan, another major oil supplier for Beijing.

Meanwhile, a Chinese admiral last week urged China to establish naval supply bases overseas.

Rear Admiral Yin Zhou stated that bases abroad could be used to support Chinese out-of-area deployments, like the current anti-piracy program.

“This is entirely a matter for the country’s foreign policy circles, but I feel that would be appropriate if we could have a relatively stable, fixed base for supplies and maintenance,” said Yin, who is director of an advisory committee for the Chinese navy’s drive to upgrade information technology.

“I think countries near any relatively long-term supply bases established by China, and other countries participating in the escort mission, could understand,” he said, adding that would be more affordable than re-supplying via ship on the high seas.