China Maritime Report No. 11: Securing China's Lifelines across the Indian Ocean

Authors

Jeffrey Becker

Files

Description

How is China thinking about protecting sea lines of communication (SLOCs) and maritime chokepoints in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) in times of crisis or conflict? Relying on Chinese policy documents and writings by Chinese security analysts, this report argues that three critical challenges limit the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN’s) ability to project power into the region and defend access to SLOCs and chokepoints, particularly in times of crisis: (1) the PLAN’s relatively modest presence in the region compared to other powers, (2) its limited air defense and anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and (3) its limited logistics and sustainment infrastructure in the region.

Publication Date

December 2020

Publisher

China Maritime Studies Institute, U.S Naval War College

City

Newport, Rhode Island

Keywords

China, China Maritime Studies Institute, CMSI, Communication, Indian Ocean, PLAN

Recommended Citation

Becker, Jeffrey, "China Maritime Report No. 11: Securing China's Lifelines across the Indian Ocean" (2020). CMSI China Maritime Reports. 11.
https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-maritime-reports/11