Thinking About China
Opinion

Will China’s ‘String of Pearls’ Stretch From the South China Sea to the Atlantic?

Will China’s ‘String of Pearls’ Stretch From the South China Sea to the Atlantic?
China's aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, sailing with other ships holds a "live combat drill" in the East China Sea, in a show of force by Beijing's burgeoning navy in disputed waters that have riled neighbors, on April 23, 2018. AFP via Getty Images
Richard A. Bitzinger
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News Analysis
Fifteen years ago, it was fashionable to speak of China’s emerging “string of pearls”: a chain of bases, ports, and other maritime facilities stretching from the South China Sea, through the Singapore-Malacca Straits, across the Indian Ocean, and on to the Red Sea.
Richard A. Bitzinger
Richard A. Bitzinger
Author
Richard A. Bitzinger is an independent international security analyst. He was previously a senior fellow with the Military Transformations Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, and he has held jobs in the U.S. government and at various think tanks. His research focuses on security and defense issues relating to the Asia-Pacific region, including the rise of China as a military power, and military modernization and arms proliferation in the region.
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