China is intruding into the Indian Ocean

Congresswoman Young Kim informed in the USA Parliament

Young Kim (Credits : YouTube)

Washington (USA) – China is making inroads into key choke points along the Indian Ocean and obstructing the right to freely navigate the waters, an influential American lawmaker has said, expressing concerns over increasing Chinese investment in South Asia. Congresswoman Young Kim, who is chairman of the Subcommittee on Indo-Pacific in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said South Asia holds immense significance for the US foreign policy and national security interests.

The region faces a dynamic geopolitical landscape that presents challenges for the US policy objectives. The Indian Ocean is a crucial channel for global trade, an estimated 80 per cent of maritime oil trade and 40 per cent of world trade passes through the Indian Ocean, she said. “CCP (Chinese Communist Party) is making inroads into key choke points along these routes and obstructing the right to freely navigate the waters”, Young said.

“Last month my subcommittee held a hearing on the Indo-Pacific budget and CCP aggression in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. We cannot forget the significance of India in the Indo Pacific. The CCP has sparked border conflicts along the Line of Control in India and its submarines and warships regularly sail in the Indian Ocean,” she said during a Congressional hearing here on Tuesday.

China is increasing its presence in Bangladesh

The United States is concerned about the possibility of growing Chinese presence in Bangladesh, a senior administration official has told the lawmakers. “We are concerned about the possibility of a growing Chinese presence in Bangladesh. But I would say the Bangladeshis have been pretty careful about not overextending quickly,” Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia told the lawmakers during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday. “In terms of Russia, Chinese influence in Bangladesh in that area, have you seen any uh things that are concerning in that regard as well?” Congressman Bill Keating asked. “I would say the most influential country in Bangladesh is actually not Russia or China, it’s India. And we have a really active dialogue with India about our policies in Bangladesh and throughout the wider region,” Lu said in response to the question.

Editorial Perspective

What India should have openly said, but USA is saying it. It is not in the interests of India’s security !