A pearl could be viewed as a sphere of influence seeded, secured and maintained through the use of economic, geopolitical, diplomatic or military means.
The string of pearls is about Chinas unambiguous maritime strategy that investments in increasing its sea power.
This is essentially a multi-pronged strategy that challenges
dominant US interests in the Indian Ocean and sends a clear message to India that the Indian Ocean is not Indias ocean by increasing the dependence of the littoral states in the region on China.
Over the years China has been helping countries in the region to
develop strategic maritime centres.
It has assisted various states in creating new maritime facilities
or improvising on their existing maritime assets.
China is playing a critical role in developing various shipping
facilities, constructing deep water ports and naval bases, developing pipeline projects and putting in place mechanisms for intelligence gathering.
By doing this, it has succeeded in engaging the various countries
of the region in Indias neighbourhood.
Motivation for CHINA
Chinas interests are not only restricted to establishing itself
as an effective maritime power. Also in other domains of power projection like cyber and space.
Particularity in the space arena China has been making significant
investments and has made extremely rapid progress.
However, it is also important to look at Chinas engagement with
states in various regions by using space as a tool of influence.
It appears that China is putting the string of pearls theory
into practice in the outer space arena too.
For long China has been assisting countries in Africa and Latin
America in the space arena. It has notable projects with Brazil, Nigeria and Venezuela.
Chinese investments have a significant political motive.
Many states have officially recognized Taiwan as a sovereign state
with political and legal status.
It appears that China has used satellite technology as one of the
means to influence these states to change their policy on this front.
Overall, Chinese assistance to these countries in the space arena
could be viewed as an instrument of its soft power projection policy.
However, Chinas space engagement with states in Asia,
particularly those in the vicinity of India, is different.
As a Counter to INDIA
In Pakistan
In Asia, China is providing assistance in space to various states
like Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mongolia, Laos and Thailand.
Particularly, in the last few years, China is found engaging
Indias neighbours intelligently.
In August 2011, China launched a communications satellite for
Pakistan.
Pakistans next remote sensing satellite is slated to be
launched by 2014 and Chinas likely involvement in this mission is expected.
In December 2012 China declared its global navigation system
Beidou operational for the Asia-Pacific region.
Pakistans space agency has a cooperation agreement with China
for the use of this system. Although this agreement is for civilian use, the dual-use potential of such systems is well-known.
In Srilanka
Chinas space investments in Sri Lanka are different in that it
is not engaging the government directly.
A private Sri Lankan company Supreme Sat has entered into a
partnership agreement with China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC).
CGWIC is China's State-owned company and is assisting Supreme Sat
with regard to design, manufacture and launch of satellites.
The first satellite was launched by China on November 27, 2012 and
the second satellite is expected to be launched in April 2013 and the third by 2015.
China is also assisting with the promotion of space science by
developing a Space Academy, the Pallekelle Space Centre.
Apart from training scientists to handle communication satellite
operations, this academy is expected to train astronauts and the Sri Lankan government hopes that within the next seven years it would have a Sri Lankan astronaut.
In turn, Supreme Sat is engaging states like Afghanistan and
Maldives in the space arena, although specific details are not yet available in this regard.
It is obvious that this company on its own is not in a position
to help others and would eventually depend on China, thus giving China an indirect space entry into these states.
In Maldives
Chinese companies in the field of information technology and
telecommunications are already involved in Maldives.
As per some reports, about US $60 million in loans have been given
by China to Maldives to implement its information technology (IT) infrastructure project for the development of the telecommunications network.
Negotiations are also under way to provide the Maldives a Chinese
satellite for use.
In Nepal
China is also assisting Nepal in the field of communications.
In Afghanistan
While a war-wounded Afghanistan is unlikely to embark upon a space
programme at this stage, what is important to note is the significant growth of private television stations and private radio in that country.
Naturally, the countrys satellite dependence is bound to
increase and China could probably exploit this opportunity.
In Mynmar
For the last few years China has also been assisting Myanmar with
its specialized university for aerospace engineering.
Pacific Space Cooperation Organization
China is also spearheading a group called Asia-Pacific Space
Cooperation Organization (APSCO).
Through this coordination mechanism, it is engaging some of
Indias neighbours at a multilateral level to promote the peaceful uses of outer space.
The only space-faring state in this group is China and its other
members include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Thailand, etc.
Asias other space giants, Japan and India, are not members of
this organization.
Conclusion
All this clearly indicates that China is using the route of space
technology diplomacy as a tool for bilateral and multilateral engagement.
It has also been found to be engaging private customers to make
its model economically viable.
It has been found making focussed efforts to engage specific
states in the space net and by doing so is increasing the number of made in China eyes in space.
Chinese investments in developing ground infrastructure and
training facilities as well as the willingness to provide loans indicate that its interests are long-term.
It is important to note that many satellites have a lifespan of
around 15 years and this demands long-term engagement and China will remain connected for many more years with these states.
It is therefore important for India to appreciate the geopolitical
significance behind such Chinese engagements in space.
China is obviously getting into these engagements with Chinese
strings attached
by Sunil.
Ref. two articles which are given recently in IDSA website, i have just edited them so that readers can understand easily.
