US succeeds in halting construction of secret Chinese port project in UAE: Reports

Construction on a secret development inside of a Chinese shipping port in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been halted after intense US pressure, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter. As per the media outlet, the project near Abu Dhabi was halted after several rounds of meetings and visits by senior US officials and prominent lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The intelligence agencies in Washington had learned that Beijing was secretly building what they suspected was a military facility at a port, following which the Biden administration warned UAE that a Chinese military presence in its country could threaten ties between the two nations. 

“Last we checked, we had successfully convinced the Emiratis to shut down the project. But it’s still a live issue,” a CNN source said. 

It is to mention that US officials for at least a year have been closely watching the construction of what they believed was a military facility inside the commercial Khalifa port. Even though China and the UAE portrayed the port venture as purely commercial, US intelligence observed ships disguised as commercial vessels that officials recognized as a type typically used by the Chinese military for signals intelligence collection entering the port. Now, US officials remain divided over how much the UAE knew about China’s intentions. 

But in a statement, a spokesperson for the UAE Embassy in Washington said that the UAE "never had an agreement, plan, talks or intention to host a Chinese military base or outpost of any kind."

China's secret project may jeopardize sale of F-35 jets

It is worth mentioning that China has sought to develop commercial posts in outposts around the world. China already has developed commercial ports in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, as well as built its first overseas military base in Djibouti in 2017. However, US officials see this as a clear effort by the Chinese to develop a foothold for military access. 

Therefore, the previous Trump administration, as well as the current Biden administration has sought to pressure the UAE to put a stop to the project at the port, which is run by a Chinese shipping conglomerate. Current and former officials also say that the broader Chinese presence in the UAE may endanger the planned $23 billion sales of F-35 jets Reaper drones and other advanced munitions. 

(With inputs from ANI)