The Indo-Pacific Strategy and Great Power Competition Case Study: U.S.–China Strategic Rivalry (2017–2025)

Abstract

Indo-Pacific has become the focal point of the global strategic rivalry between the United States of America and the Peoples republic of China. The U.S. has been a highly active advocate of the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) since 2017 in order to ensure that the perpetual regional order is free and open to balance the rise of China in terms of political, economic, and military power. China has in turn reacted by embarking on aggressive expansion via its Belt and road initiative (BRI), military modernisation and strategic discourses that seek regional leadership. Case study will explain how the two powers utilise military alliances, economic and regional diplomacy to garner ground on the other in the region, which has major implications on the regional security structure as well as smaller states.