US-China Rivalry: Asia Pacific next Battleground?
After withdrawing from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, the USA announced that its focus would be on Asia pacific. Its reason was that China had initiated three projects which encompass the whole world, but its real focus was the pacific. China wanted to have an alternative way of the South China sea. Earlier, the most of shipments from China used to go through the South China sea where the USA was lying in ambush. US-China rivalry has gone to another level now after China has distanced itself from the South China sea. China wants to use the South China sea for the balance of power only which it is doing already.
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
The biggest project of China was the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Its purpose was to build the old Silk Route through the new infrastructure so that Europe can be accessed. This was something that made sleepless the USA and Europe because its focus was not on one region or continent but rather the whole world. China had a strategic plan that all countries involved in this would be dependent on one another economically. It would help to have the dominant status of China.
Also Read: China-Taiwan Conflict: From the Current perspective
CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor)
CPEC is an important project of big project BRI because it helps China to distance itself from the South China sea. From the South China sea to the gulf, China has to cover 13,000 km, and that too via ship. While through CPEC, this route would be 3,000 km to Khanjerab and 6500 km to Shanghai, that too through the road. It is a game-changer for Pakistan and that’s why the USA puts pressure on Pakistan to rollback, intermittently.
The string of Pearls: US-China Rivalry
Two theories were renowned regarding controlling the world. One of them was Heartland Theory and the other one was Rimland Theory. According to the first theory, the one which will control the area around Central Asia will rule the world. According to the second theory, the one which will control the areas around the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean will rule the world. China adopted both theories in the form of the Belt and Road Initiative. It means Belt and Road Initiative can be called the combination of Heartland and Rimland theories.
However, China has more focus on coasts and therefore it has kept its hold on the coasts of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. On this, the USA formulated the term “String of Pearls“. According to this term, China wants to keep control of the whole area from the South China sea to the Indian Ocean and the coasts of Africa. In this whole string, India becomes the main target which is the undisputed owner of the Indian ocean.
The reaction of the USA: G-7 Projects
The USA has presented a new project from the platform of G-7 which is called Build Back Better World (B3W). It was presented on the 46th session of G-7 when the USA was withdrawing itself from Afghanistan. This project was a partnership of 400 trillion dollars but couldn’t proceed because of a lack of money. They could get only 6 million dollars.
It was so unrealistic that in the next session of G-7 a new project was presented that was named Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). But it also couldn’t be materialized. Then, in the next G-7 session of 2022, Partnership for Blue Pacific was presented.
QUAD & IPEF: Extension of Eastern NATO
B3W and PGII are the projects to counter China’s projects. A similar project was also presented by the EU which was named Global gateway. Its objective is also to extend the concern of Europe. Alliances that were made for only and only encountering China are IPEF & QUAD. In these alliances, Australia and India are also with the USA and both also have military in the region. Right now, India is fighting a proxy war of the USA with China.
Taiwan: The reason for US troops in Region
However, the US is meddling China-Taiwan problems and the US is helping Taiwan diplomatically and militarily. In recent years, this issue has taken a major breakthrough after Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, recently. Before the visit of Nancy Pelosi, China and the US presidents had a telephone conversation. This conversation was 2 hours and 17 minutes long. In this long conversation, other officials were also included in this.
Furthermore, the Chinese president said in this conversation that “The US is playing with fire and the one who plays with fire, become ash”. It was clearly stated by China for the US. On the other side, the US also stated that ” The US will never retreat in the case of advocating Taiwan”.
This conflict took a major breakthrough when Taiwan thanked the US for advocating them.
China’s Military Exercises in Taiwan
The interesting thing is China has named its military exercises and has fixed a place for tourists to watch these exercises. But the problem is that these exercises are working in the region of Taiwan which is a violation of their border. China has deployed six zones for these exercises. Some of these zones are at a distance of 20 km in Taiwan.
Besides, in the southwest area and the northern-east area of Taiwan, China out the missiles. According to the sources of Taiwan, it has also turned on its missile system and they are ready to answer anytime.
Also Read: Deglobalization: Its History & Future
The threat by China: US-China Rivalry
There is a term that which Foreign Ministry used regarding warning to the US and Taiwan which meant that get alert for anything. If we keep history in mind that we get to know that such terms were used two times by china. Once in the 1950s and once in 1964. First time in the 1950s, China’s President Zhou Enlai used this term to warn the US dominance in Korea that if the USA crossed the “38 parallel line” then China would not control itself to attack. Then in 1964, China used this term for the US to prevent it from moving forward to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
