On territorial and sovereignty related issues, China is likely to increasingly display unilateral tendencies. This is commensurate not only with China’s growing power but also with the relative decline of the United States.
Cooperation and goodwill of the South-East Asian nations and the international community far outweighs any purported advantage that China might gain in occupying these barren islands.
The objectives of this article are, firstly, to identify the place occupied by the Indian Ocean and South Asia in China's maritime strategy, and secondly, to identify the appropriate means of dealing with the global and regional maritime security concerns arising from China's maritime strategy as far as the Indian Ocean and South Asia are concerned.
China has created world class infrastructure on the Tibetan plateau in terms of highways, rail links, airports, logistic installations and oil pipelines which have civilian as well as military usage, allowing China to settle its Han majority population into these sparsely populated areas, project power in Central and South Asia, and make sustained efforts to integrate these alien areas. These unprecedented infrastructure developments have significantly multiplied the war waging capabilities of China, including against India.
China’s employment of a considerable force including Special Forces to cut off the limited axis of maintenance along with tactics of infiltration over a wide frontage would leave India at the receiving end.
Support close ally Pakistan to achieve its strategic objective of keeping India hobbled in South Asia.
Expand its influence in the region.
Build economic and strategic relationships with the smaller countries for future contingencies.
Assist Myanmar government to maintain reasonable stability so that the roads, gas pipe lines and port facilities developed by China can remain safe, secure and operational.
Build relations with Sri Lanka and Maldives to get access to the Indian Ocean Region.
Maintain good relations with Bangladesh by meeting its security needs like weapons, ships and aircraft.
Ensure a stable and China friendly Nepal.
Assist Afghanistan to exploit its natural and mineral resources and maintain a degree of stability there with the help of Pakistan.
The ultimate objective is to shape the future and enhance China's overall strength to challenge the world hegemon, the United States of America.
Sri Lanka has achieved military victory over Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). This fight against the LTTE has had different connotations for both India and China. In the current scenario India had to be neutral as this definitely would have had repercussions on Indian soil. The involvement of Tamil’s had put to test the Indian internal security. And thus the Indian government had to decide not to supply arms and ammunitions to the Sri Lankan government in its fight against the LTTE.
The political crisis that triggered off in Nepal with Prime Minster Prachanda’s resignation yet again indicates not only the trials and tribulations of a fledgling democratic process but also points to the geopolitical vulnerability of the country sandwiched as it is between the two Asian giants. While India considers Nepal a part of its sphere of influence, it is increasingly being challenged by China’s inroads into Nepal. In fact, the growing Nepal-China nexus should be seen in the context of India-China power competition in Asia.
South China Sea Dispute: The Farce of Chinese Multilateralism
On territorial and sovereignty related issues, China is likely to increasingly display unilateral tendencies. This is commensurate not only with China’s growing power but also with the relative decline of the United States.