Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

US, China And Diego Garcia's Suddenly Uncertain Future


(MENAFN- Asia Times) What may seem like the end of the last vestige of Western colonialism in the Indian Ocean region could well turn out to be the beginning of increased tension between the United States, India - and China.

Last October, the United Kingdom and Mauritius reached an agreement that the British Indian Ocean Territory would be returned to Mauritius, to which it once belonged.

A month later, the newly-elected Mauritius government under Navin Ramgoolam ordered a review of the agreement, which he described as a“sellout” because it did not benefit his nation enough in terms of compensation for years of colonial rule and the forced expulsion of the archipelago's original inhabitants.

That occurred when the Chagos Archipelago's seven atolls separated from Mauritius in 1965, and the largest of them, Diego Garcia, was leased to the United States to house a major, highly secretive military base in the Indian Ocean.

But the handover is bound to happen, and there is already talk about turning the sun-drenched archipelago into a tourist paradise akin to its closest island neighbor, the Maldives, situated some 500 kilometers away.

Exclusive luxury resorts could conceivably be built, attracting high-spending visitors from all over the world. Diving, surfing and so-called“eco-friendly” activities are already being touted on lifestyle websites referring to the Chagos Archipelago as a“new Maldives.”

But therein lies the geostrategic problem. Britain has pledged to provide Mauritius with financial support to develop the islands, including a partnership to build badly needed infrastructure.

However, Mauritius is a sovereign country and it is hard to imagine that China will not seek to finance its own projects on the archipelago – and not just because Beijing is interested in helping to turn the islands into an attractive destination for globetrotting Chinese tourists.

That is exactly what has happened in the Maldives, where Chinese visitors top tourism arrival lists. China has invested heavily in infrastructure development, including a bridge connecting the islands of Hulhule and Hulhumale with the capital, Male. That building has bought political influence, raising concern with the Maldives' traditional development partner and strategic ally India.

The Maldives is strategically important to China because it lies along the sea routes through which its imported oil from the Persian Gulf travels.

If China were to gain a strategic foothold in the Chagos Archipelago through seemingly innocent investment projects, it would give China a key vantage point to monitor US military activities at Diego Garcia.

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