China’s Two Ocean Strategy
China’s two-ocean strategy is based on controlling and securing maritime routes in the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. This strategy aims to enhance its naval presence on sea lines of communication, thereby securing its economic interests related to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by controlling important trade routes and enhancing China’s geopolitical power.
Historical background
Sun Tzu said, “If you want to dominate the world, you must control the coast along the sea”.
China’s two ocean strategy can be influenced by the century of humiliation when china experienced numerous invasions, territorial losses, and humiliations at the hands of foreign powers. So China enhancing it’s maritime capability to secure it’s economic interest in region which was dominated by foreign powers.
Interest of China:
How China will do this
Naval Modernizationhttps
( ://chinapower.csis.org/china-naval-modernization/: )
President Xi Jinping reiterated this position in April 2018 when he stated that “the task of building a powerful navy has never been as urgent as it is today.” China’s 2019 defense white paper further outlined the need “to build a strong and modernized naval force” that is capable of carrying out “missions on the far seas”.
Around 2015, the Chinese Navy surpassed the U.S in numbers of battle force ships. In 2021, the Chinese Navy’s fleet comprised 348 to 355 ships and submarines, estimates by the U.S. Congressional Research Service and the Department of Defense. This exceeds the deployable battle force of the U.S. Navy, which consisted of 296 vessels in the same year. Other leading naval powers, such as the British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, had smaller fleets, with approximately 76 ships and 44 ships respectively, in 2021. Between 2017 and 2019, China reportedly built more vessels than India, Japan, Australia, France, and the United Kingdom combined. In 2021, China commissioned at least 28 ships, while the U.S. Navy was positioned to commission seven ships that year. If China maintains this rate, it could possess around 425 battle force ships by 2030. The Chinese military has been focusing on improving its littoral warfare capabilities in the South China Sea and East China Sea. As part of this effort, China has produced 72 Jiangdao-Class corvettes since 2013, with around 50 to 52 remaining in the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Some of these vessels were transferred to the Chinese Coast Guard(maritime law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing China’s maritime laws, safeguarding its maritime rights and interests). In early 2020, China stopped production of these corvettes to shift its focus to enhancing its blue-water capabilities(refers to its capacity to conduct naval operations in distant or deep waters, far from its own shores or far sea). China is also a commercial shipbuilding superpower. In 2018, China surpassed South Korea to become the global leader in shipbuilding. By the year 2020, Chinese shipbuilders were responsible for constructing more than 40 percent of the world’s ships. Foreign ship orders helping to lower the costs of PLAN modernization.
Overseas Basing:
China has established its first overseas military base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, strategically located near the Bab al-Mandeb strait in the Indian Ocean. On the other hand China’s neighboring Myanmar shares a coastline on the bay of Bengal which offers maritime gateway to the Indian Ocean. This strategic location of Mayanmar allow China to expand its military presence in the Indian Ocean. China has invested in infrastructure development in Myanmar, such as the Kyaukphyu Deep-Sea Port and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), facilitating maritime trade.
Protection of SLOCs: The PLAN is tasked with protecting China's sea lines of communication (SLOCs) in the Pacific and Indian Oceans to ensure the safe passage of goods and energy supplies. This involves conducting patrols, escort missions, and anti-piracy operations to safeguard maritime trade routes.
Economic Engagement: China's economic interests in the regions bordering the Pacific and Indian Oceans play a significant role in supporting the Two-Ocean Strategy. Investments in ports, infrastructure projects, and trade agreements help strengthen China's economic ties and influence in these maritime regions.
