South China Sea will be ‘Chinese lake’ by 2030

By 2030, China will be such an unquestioned superpower that the South China Sea will be nothing more than a “Chinese lake,” the Center for Strategic and International Studies writes in a new report.

 

China’s dominance in the region is due to Beijing’s projected continual development of aircraft carrier groups and the People Liberation Army’s focus on expanding its ability to operate overseas.

 

Citing a Chinese white paper, CSIS notes that “the PLA in the near future will be operating well beyond the First Island Chain and into the Indian Ocean … The call for the PLA to adopt this expanded mission set is of greatest concern to the United States, as it will gradually extend the reach of the PLA and emphasize ‘nontraditional security operations.'”

 

Read More: South China Sea will be ‘Chinese lake’ by 2030 – Business Insider