Bridging the Oceans #17: All but in Name: China’s Indo-Pacific Ambitions

<p><em>Originally published 9 June 2021</em></p> <p>Although China does not recognise the term Indo-Pacific, it still appreciates the region’s strategic value.</p> <p>In this episode, Veerle is joined by Dr Bates Gill, Professor of Asia-Pacific Security Studies at Macquarie University and Senior Associate Fellow at RUSI, to discuss China’s interests, ambitions and strategy in the Indo-Pacific region. Despite Beijing’s dismissal of the term ‘Indo-Pacific’ as a US construct, China approaches the Indian and Pacific Oceans as a connected space that is critical to its national security and global presence. The question is: what role does it seek to play?</p>