US–India–China Relations in the Indian Ocean: A Chinese Perspective

The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is becoming increasingly significant in the world arena, with the United States, India and China—the most important stakeholders in the region—playing substantial roles. Judging from the three countries' strategic thought, concerns, interests and power balances, it is the US–India potential competition for maritime dominance in the IOR that demands the most attention. However, competition does not mean confrontation. Since the three countries face similar security challenges and share common interests in the IOR, it is necessary for them to compete to a reasonable extent while pushing forward with functional cooperation. Because of the existence of an interdependent relationship and common security challenges, the future scenario will be one of dynamic and manageable competition, instead of inevitable conflict and rivalry.