Explained: How Indian Ocean Could be a Strategic Weakness in a China-Taiwan Conflict | Oneindia News

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Discover the geopolitical intricacies and strategic vulnerabilities that position the Indian Ocean as a potential Achilles' heel for China in the event of a conflict over Taiwan. Dive into the analysis of key factors and why this maritime region plays a crucial role in shaping global power dynamics. Explore the potential impacts on regional stability and the broader implications for international relations.

#ChinaTaiwanConflict #Geopolitics #IndianOceanStrategy #GlobalSecurity #IndianOcean #China #Taiwan #OneindiaNews
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Transcript

00:00 Every day, around 60 massive oil carriers make a crucial journey from the Persian Gulf

00:07 to China, supplying almost half of China's oil.

00:11 But as we navigate through the South China Sea, these waters are increasingly controlled

00:16 by China's growing military with missile batteries, airfields and advanced destroyers.

00:22 Once these tankers cross the vast Indian Ocean, joining others from Africa and Brazil, they

00:28 lack protection in an area mostly controlled by the US.

00:32 This vulnerability is now under scrutiny, with Western military experts quietly considering

00:38 how a conflict with China, whether over Taiwan or elsewhere, might unfold in this critical

00:43 geopolitical landscape.

00:45 In the Indian Ocean, Chinese oil tankers could be very vulnerable.

00:50 According to David Brewster, a security scholar, China's naval vessels could be effectively

00:55 trapped without air support, as they lack their bases or facilities.

01:00 Insights from envoys and analysts reveal a consensus that this vulnerability provides

01:06 China's adversaries with various options crucial in prolonged conflicts.

01:11 These options range from harassment and interdiction operations to extreme measures like a blockade,

01:18 potentially impacting China's actions.

01:21 In a full-scale war, these massive tankers, each capable of carrying two million barrels

01:26 of oil, could become targets reminiscent of naval warfare targeting economic resources.

01:33 Analysts suggest that these options could dissuade China from action or escalate costs

01:39 in a Taiwan invasion, but the impact on Beijing's calculations remains unclear.

01:45 Notably, questions to China's defence ministry about its stance in the Indian Ocean have

01:52 gone unanswered.

01:54 Despite a vast military satellite network, China lacks air cover in the Indian Ocean,

01:59 raising concerns about the sustainability of a prolonged Taiwan conflict, as noted by

02:05 analysts.

02:06 In a potential confrontation between China and the West in the Indian Ocean, the conflict

02:12 scale and location could become almost uncontrollable.

02:16 China usually maintains several surveillance vessels, warships and a submarine in the Indian

02:21 Ocean, but its most powerful assets remain untested.

02:27 There's anticipation among analysts that this might change, especially with an emphasis

02:31 on piracy patrols to safeguard supply lines, responding to concerns about control by hegemonic

02:38 countries.

02:45 -END-

Explained: How Indian Ocean Could be a Strategic Weakness in a China-Taiwan Conflict | Oneindia News

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