The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of Earth’s seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia. The United States has a strategy for this biogeographic region, and it is called Indo-Pacific Strategy. It describes its Indo-Pacific strategy as “an ironclad and enduring commitment to” a region that spans from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. According to the US narrative, the initiative focuses on three areas — economics, governance, and security. In 2018, the U.S. Pacific Command became the Indo-Pacific Command.
The US is reducing its influence in the Middle East but increasing its diplomatic influence in the Indo-Pacific region when global geopolitical center of gravity is shifting toward Asia. The US has composed Indo-Pacific Strategy in two key elements. One is the economic integration and the other one is the defense cooperation with the countries in the region. India, Japan, Australia and few Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Singapore are the supporters and partners of the US Indo-Pacific strategy.
Beside the US, several countries have their own versions of Indo-Pacific Strategy, such as Australia, Japan and India. Those versions are aiming at countering or coordinating against the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). On the other hand, Russia rejects the Indo-Pacific geopolitical construct believing that such strategies are to contain China and mostly to support the interests of the United States.
China would be challenged by the implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy lead by the US. It will compete economically with the BRI by devaluing the Chinese geoeconomic activities in the region. And from the political point of view, the littoral countries will be affected. From strategic perspective, China’s maritime security and strategic objectives will be threatened when the US will increase its influence and involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.