A newly constructed harbor at Hambantota, near Sri Lanka's southern tip, began filling with water recently in readiness for the first ships in November. The port — which will have a water depth of 17 meters, making it one of the deepest in South Asia — has been carved out of coastal land in a joint venture between the Chinese and Sri Lankan governments.
China's involvement has inevitably raised speculation that Hambantota is the latest jewel in a so-called string of pearls that will pave the way for China's rapidly expanding navy to operate routinely in the Indian Ocean from secure bases in the region.
The aim would be to challenge U.S. and Indian naval dominance in the area and ensure that China itself could protect vital trade and energy supply lines instead of having to rely on potentially hostile powers. Already, China imports over half the oil it needs and at least 75 percent is shipped across the Indian Ocean from the Persian Gulf and Africa. Moreover, China's dependence on imported oil needed to run its modern land, sea and air transport is rising.