By Li Hongmei 

China and Pakistan officially agreed on February 18 to transfer management of the Gwadar port from Singapore's PSA International to China Overseas Holdings Limited (COH).

The move stirred up undue speculations form some foreign media on China's possible military aim behind the scene and its subsequent strategic impact.

In actuality, the management handover is simply another milestone marking the friendly cooperation between China and Pakistan in a new period of time, and an inevitable outcome of COH's efforts to grow its overseas operations and stakes. It also signifies the general course of China's development, a trend that will not change in the face of speculation or even vilification.

Pakistan's handover of the management of the Gwadar port to a Chinese company is the outcome of the friendship and strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan, and another testimony to the China-Pakistan friendship over more than half a century.

In addition, Pakistan's choice of partners for management of its port is simply an exercise of its own sovereign rights that allows no bickering, and a move that has nothing to do with any other countries. Instead of making irresponsible remarks about China-Pakistan cooperation, it is better to reflect on one question: why has Pakistan chosen a Chinese company instead of one from, say, the United States? 

China's ascent to world's spotlight as the second biggest economy has greatly beefed up the Chinese enterprises, and fueled their aspiration for investment overseas.

On the other hand, the United States and some European countries have never tired of making trouble, trying to retard investment by Chinese enterprises or their merger and acquisition of foreign businesses. They tend to look at the normal business operations of Chinese enterprises with a zero-sum eye and a Cold War mentality.

They always try to interpret and exaggerate the so-called "backgrounds" of Chinese enterprises, especially the state or military ownership of China's transnational and state-owned conglomerates, Huawei Technologies' expansion nightmare in the U.S. is just one of the recent examples.

Likewise, they will hardly welcome the development and management of the Gwadar port by a Chinese company.
   
Since the Indian Ocean does not fall under the title of any country, it is not of good reason to stick to a narrow-minded geopolitical mentality and subsequently stir up a zero-sum confrontation, or to misinterpret the normal business operations conducted by Chinese enterprises.

As a matter of fact, the United States and some European countries have long kept a military presence in the Indian Ocean. Even India has kept an intelligence interception station in Madagascar. China is fully justified, therefore, to take part in the management of the Gwadar port.

As for the development of the Gwadar port after the takeover, it is totally up to Chinese and Pakistani enterprises and governments. History will prove that China, which all the while respects Pakistan's sovereignty, dignity and interests, is a trustworthy partner Pakistan can count on.