How is CHINA challenging INDIA

VisualPolitik EN

China needs to expand its military in order to deter potential trade blocks imposed by India. This is why, they want to have military bases in strategic places of the Indian Ocean: this is what we call the String of Pearls. But how are they trying to achieve this? Introducing the… sugar daddy diplomacy! China has gone to countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan or Bangladesh and flooded them with credit. This money has built ports, roads and lots of white elephants. But then, their governments have to pay back their debts. And, in cases like the Sri Lanka one, the debt is so big, they cannot meet their financial obligations. This is the time where the sugar daddy diplomacy comes in. Having this dependency relationship with a government, China can take over key strategic infrastructures, as well as political favours. All of this is threatening India, that now is surrounded by Chinese ports that, eventually, might have a military use. So how are they counter reacting? By building their own military bases. India is creating lots of diplomatic ties with countries like France, Taiwan or Japan. All of this has helped them to karaoke their own version of string of pearls.