'Unchecked influence of China may challenge sovereignty of Indo-Pacific nations'

Pointing at the rising influence of China in the region, US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas on Monday said, unchecked influence of China may challenge the sovereignty and strategic autonomy of Indo-Pacific nations.  

‘As we chart our course through the coming decades in the Indo-Pacific, we must not lose sight of the evolving nature of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s influence,’ said the envoy.

Mr Haas said it while skeaping on “Defining Competition in the Indo-Pacific Region” at a programme titled Bay of Bengal Conversation in the city on Monday.

The Belt and Road Initiative, along with the PRC’s expansive maritime ambitions, have signalled a new epoch in the dynamics of this region, he noted.

However, he did not forget to remind that China is integral to the global economy, and the United States and the PRC can and should work together on global challenges like macroeconomic stability, climate change, health security, and food security.

“When it comes to the PRC, we openly acknowledge it is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, potentially, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it,” he said. 

Underscoring the importance of the Indo-Pacific Region, he said that stretching from the Pacific coastline of the United States to the Indian Ocean, the Indo-Pacific is the most dynamic region in the world. 

“It is home to more than half of the world’s people and nearly two-thirds of the world’s economy. Half of all global trade passes through its waters. The region supports more than three million American jobs and is the source of nearly $900 billion in foreign direct investment in the United States”. 

“I’d also like to add that diversity, which makes the Indo-Pacific such a dynamic engine of growth and prosperity, not just for the citizens of the region but for the entire world”. 

He opined that “competition” in the Indo-Pacific is not about forcing countries to choose. It’s about offering an alternative vision based on respect, prosperity, and partnership.

He said, through deliberate, multilateral endeavours, the US seeks to create an environment that is conducive not only to growth but also to sustainable and inclusive prosperity, security, and the protection of sovereignty that extends to all Indo-Pacific nations, be they large coastal states or small islands.

Lauding Bangladesh’s recently released its Indo-Pacific Outlook, he said the US applauds Bangladesh’s vision of a “free, open, peaceful, secure, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.”

The US notes significant overlap with our own, including on issues such as freedom of navigation and overflight; open, transparent, and rules-based multilateral systems; and environmental resilience, he commented.

He said that as both countries are liberal democracies, their approaches also recognise the importance of human rights to safeguarding peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

At the very core of the US Indo-Pacific strategy lies an unwavering dedication to promoting and safeguarding these ideas, he added. 

“History shows societies thrive when individuals are accorded the freedom to express their opinions, participate meaningfully in the governance of their nations, and enjoy the full spectrum of their fundamental rights”.

“We encourage Bangladesh to recognise the importance of these principles in its own past as it develops its own outlook”.

He observed that the discussion of partnerships and of democracy in the Indo-Pacific points us to a consideration of the need to ensure a region comprised of diverse, sovereign, independent states where no one country dominates. 

“This is why we firmly believe that “competition” in the Indo-Pacific is not about forcing countries to choose.  It’s about offering an alternative vision based on respect, prosperity, and partnership”.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com