China’s growing footprint in South Asia

The South Asian countries’ eagerness to play the China card has given Beijing a strategic opportunity.

The China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) held the second China-Indian Ocean Forum in Kunming on December 8, 2023. This year’s focus was “Boosting Sustainable Blue Economy to Build Together a Maritime Community with a Shared Future”. Highlighting this, Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the CIDCA, said China was striving to further the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and its own Global Development Initiative. The blue economy, Luo said, would help Indian Ocean island countries achieve sustainable development.