Geopolitical strategy is said about the analysis of effective factors in geopolitics in order to determine the explanation of tasks and duties of a government or Geopolitical Codes. In fact, countries can reach better to their strategic objectives and goals with selection and determination of Geopolitical Codes. The issue managed to have institutionalized economic-political- security policies of leaders and political units under different titles since human civilization was formed. Even now, geopolitical strategy is used at larger scales, particularly in the policies of the United States of America on the regions where enjoy having natural resources and treasures.
As an emerging power in the region and in the world, China employs optimally the capable instrument of geopolitical strategy, particularly with implementation of One Belt, One Road mega project the natural and geographical potentials of those countries on the its way in order to overtake its competitors. While China has suffered enormously from its geographical determinism, as geographical determinism is an indicative of the extent of dependence on its peripheral, to have free trade with world markets China is depended on the geographical scopes of its neighboring countries with some of whom it has numerous problems. That’s why to escape from geopolitical contraction caused by geographical determinism, China needs to use geopolitical strategy programs at ground, sea and even space.
Among the most important and most effective weights of China strategic balance to confront with clashes and tensions occurred in the economic and trade fields and promoting the security level of the country, is the interrelationship of military and economic concepts at the ocean scenes of the world that will be possible as an important factor only if it continues to strengthen its naval fleet and establish offshore bases. China has seriously concentrated over the maritime routes and those countries that play a maritime catalyst role within the past ten years. On this basis, a naval base was rented in the African Horn region (Djibouti) and is studying other regions in South America, North and South Pole, and Southern as well as Western areas of African continent (Guinea).
However, from the USA point of view China’s maritime hegemony is considered to be in contrast with the U.S. national security. American agencies and even other powers have counted on other tension creating potentials in the peripheral of China, especially on Taiwan to decrease China’s global power. In line with this, military – security agreements with India, Japan and most of South East Asian countries are noticeable.
Having employed its maritime geopolitical strategy, and through confidence building measures aimed at reduction of threatening interpretations emanated from anti-China propaganda of its competitors, China is presenting a new definition of leadership role at world sphere in order to win the support of protectionist policies of concerned countries. Thus, one can analyze that China’s maritime geopolitical strategy acts as a driving force to secure national interests and advancement of geo-strategic and geo-economic objectives of the country which is summarized in One Belt One Route project.
China employs extensively its maritime geopolitical strategy equipped with efficient diplomatic, economic and military instruments to expand its security system in high seas in favor of creating a balance between national interests and effective tactical achievements with other concerned political units in maritime and polar routes of the silk road. Thus, the definition of regional and sometimes global roles in connection with the country’s economic hegemony equals the security guarantees and threat as well as the challenging consequences at the same level.
Although China’s maritime geopolitical strategy contributes to the reconstruction and strengthening of China’s military presence at offshore waters and can be a serious competitor at economic markets and acquiring business benefits for competitive powers but as such competitions intensify, sophisticated security elements increase based on China’s maritime geopolitical strategy and create major problems for neighboring countries and its convulsive domains.
In line with this, the United States of America has a strong presence in Taiwan, where China has territorial claims, to prevent the expansion of China’s maritime power. The very same issue will create a specific and essential threat as well as numerous problems for materialization of China’s maritime geopolitical strategy. Taiwan can make China to stage more military – maritime war games and consequently provoke global reactions and even isolate China internationally. Although China’s strategic cooperation with most countries of the world will make them willing to integration and lower tension.
In line with its maritime geopolitical strategy and having relied on geo-economic concept, China prefers its trade – economic reservations over its political reservations and through this strategy, its partner countries tie their political, military, economic and cultural security with economic security of China. However, China should keep its eyes on Pacific region because the U.S. weak point embodies in this part of the world. Undoubtedly, the weak points of every country emanate from its geographical characteristics, China is no exception to this rule. In order to extend its domain of influence, China needs to have greater scope. High seas will be effective for this country to sort out its strategic problem. That’s why the lion share of the military budget of the country is spent on modernization of its military naval equipment. The perspective that is formed in line with China’s maritime capability is a combination of integration and cooperation with the least vulnerability from the country’s diplomacy. The objective of China’s maritime geopolitical strategy is to create a security environment to increase the control over the investments already made and make the competitors and the enemies at the same level of like-minded players to interact in line with their interests. With the above interpretations, mid-term and long-term objectives of China’s maritime geopolitical strategy are as follows:
- To prevent arms race among the regional states
- Security establishments of the region are taken away from competitors and correspond with China maritime power
- To control and supervise energy centers supplying oil and gas, and the security of its transit routes
- To create a new geopolitical environment for its competitors, particularly the USA, and make challenges for player-making and process – making of the US concerned in order to remove the consequences of cold peace problem, and etc.
To create an open environment for investment and thus to direct economic and trade interactions from the West to the East.
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