In a major war, Chinese oil tankers in the Indian Ocean “would find themselves very vulnerable,” said David Brewster, a security scholar at the Australian National University. China’s defense ministry did not respond to questions about its position in the Indian Ocean. The US Indian Ocean presence remains in stark contrast, reflecting its Cold War build-up. But China is yet to test its most potent assets in the Indian Ocean, one former Western intelligence analyst said. Some analysts expect that to change, particularly as PLA documents stress the piracy patrols’ importance in protecting Indian Ocean supply lines.
