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China's expanding influence over critical choke points in the Indian Ocean has raised concerns among US lawmakers about national security and economic interests.

 

Congresswoman Young Kim, an influential member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, highlighted the issue during a recent Congressional hearing.

 

Kim, chairperson of the Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific, highlighted the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean, through which an estimated 80% of maritime oil trade and 40% of global trade pass. 

 

She warned that China's activities are obstructing free maritime routes and threatening the interests of the US and its allies in South Asia.

 

“China is making inroads into key choke points along the Indian Ocean, obstructing the free maritime routes, and threatening the national security and economic interests of both the US and its friends and allies in South Asia,” Kim said.

 

Geopolitical landscape and US policy

 

Addressing the dynamic geopolitical landscape of South Asia, Kim stressed the region's immense significance for US foreign policy and national security.

She highlighted the need for the US to remain vigilant and proactive in the Indo-Pacific, noting, “We cannot forget the significance of Indo in the Indo-Pacific.”

Kim outlined recent Chinese development projects, including ports in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, military installations in Djibouti, and infrastructure investments in the Maldives.

She highlighted how these projects allow the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to control key maritime routes and challenge the right to free navigation in the Indian Ocean.

China’s maritime strategy

China's claims over most of the South China Sea and its disputes with countries like The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have already made the region a potential flashpoint for global conflict.

While the US is not a claimant, it asserts that freedom of navigation in these waters is crucial for its national interests.

The US Navy regularly conducts freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, defending the right of all nations to navigate these waters under international law.

Kim noted, “These [Chinese] actions threaten the US national security and economic interests and those of our friends and allies in the region.”

US response and strategic interests

The Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific has been actively addressing the CCP’s aggression in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. Last month, it held a hearing on the Indo-Pacific budget and discussed the escalating tensions.

Kim reiterated the importance of the Indo-Pacific region, describing its economic, geographical, and military significance as essential for US-China competition.

“During this time, we must choose to show up for our allies, or risk ceding our leadership to the CCP,” she stated.

Recalling the previous hearing, Kim added, “The CCP has sparked border conflicts along the Line of Actual Control with India and its submarines and warships regularly sail in the Indian Ocean.”

Regional dynamics and cooperation

Kim pointed out that the CCP is a major trading partner for Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, all of which surround the strategic partner India.

She expressed particular concern about the growing relationship between the CCP and the Maldives, a key US security partner in the Indian Ocean.

“The PLA's presence is intensifying both along the Indian border and in the Indian Ocean,” Kim observed.

She stressed on the importance of US aid and cooperation in advancing its interests in South Asia, enhancing regional prosperity, and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Economic ties and debt diplomacy

Kim highlighted the Maldives' significant debt to China, noting that the nation has received several large CCP investments, including $200 million for the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge.

During a recent visit by the Maldives president to Beijing, the two countries signed an additional 20 bilateral agreements, further deepening their economic ties.

Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu mentioned that the military relationship between the Maldives and China is still developing.

“We have the opportunity to shape that relationship through competition,” he stated, stressing up the need for proactive engagement.