Overview

Indo-Pacific disputes linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) occupied China’s expansionist history since 1949 — the “seven decades” since the Communist Party captured China - are highly diabolical and increasingly intrusive.

The core pattern: CCP asserts “historical rights” over land and sea far beyond its internationally recognised borders, then backs those claims with infrastructure, military presence, and coercion. India & Australia don’t claim territory, but get pulled in because trade routes and regional order are affected.

Here is a snapshot of the disputes or incursions, as one might label them meaningfully.

Maritime disputes: “Nine-dash line” and island building

South China Sea

This maritime area affects 60% of Australia’s trade and 50% of India’s trade.

CCP Claim: CCP claims ∼90% of the  South China Sea via 1940s map with 9 dashes. Covers Spratlys, Paracels, Scarborough Shoal. Overlaps the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. 

China’s ill-intended actions since 2013:

Artificial islands: 7 reefs dredged into military bases — Mischief Reef, Subi Reef, Fiery Cross. 3,200+ acres reclaimed. Runways, missile sites, radar. 

Maritime Militia and Coast Guard: Ramming, water cannons vs Philippine boats at Second Thomas Shoal. 2024 incident: Chinese Communist military personnel boarded Philippine navy boats with axes. 

Oil/Gas harassment: Chinese Communist Regime survey ships and their armed coast guard shadow Malaysian/Vietnamese drilling rigs. 

The 2016 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Tribunal ruled “no legal basis” for the nine-dash line. CCP rejected this international ruling. Australia and India both say the ruling is final and binding.

East China Sea 

CCP Claims: Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, administered by Japan. 

CCP's ill-intended Actions: Chinese Communist Regime’s coast guard ships enter waters. In 2023, a record 352 days, Chinese vessels entered the waters nearby. Fighter jets scrambled weekly. 

Quad Response: July 2025 joint statement opposed “unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion” in both the East & South China Seas.

Taiwan Strait

CCP's claim: CCP says Taiwan is a province of One China that was captured by it. CCP threatens use of force on the tiny democratic island if Taiwan declares independence. 

CCP's ill-intended actions: CCP military sends 100+ warplanes across the median line each month. Naval blockades were rehearsed. In 2022, missiles were fired over Taiwan after US Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit. 

India and Australia’s position on Taiwan: No official open diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, but both of them support “status quo”. Australia 2023 Defence Review stated that any conflict over Taiwan would be “catastrophic for the region”.

Land border disputes: “Salami slicing” on the Himalayas

India-China border — Line of Actual Control

CCP's Claim: CCP claims Arunachal Pradesh as “South Tibet” ∼90,000 km². Also, Aksai Chin in Ladakh, taken in 1962 war. 

CCP's ill-intended Actions:

1962 War: CCP military seized Aksai Chin, 38,000 km². 

2020 Galwan clash: CCP army moved troops into disputed areas, killed 20 Indian soldiers. First deadly clash in 45 years. 

Infrastructure: Villages, roads, bridges built in disputed zones to “create facts on ground”. 

Renaming of Places: CCP regime renamed 30 places in India’s Arunachal Pradesh in 2024. 

Australia’s view: Recognises India’s “critical role” in Indian Ocean stability. Sees border and maritime moves as a connected strategy.

Bhutan — Doklam Plateau

CCP's Claim: CCP regime claims Doklam, near India’s “Chicken’s Neck” corridor. 

CCP's ill-intended Actions: In 2017 the CCP regime built a road. India sent troops. 73-day standoff. The CCP regime still has infrastructure nearby.

Indian Ocean expansion: “String of Pearls”

CCP embarked on forming a network of controlled/leased ports surrounding India. 

Key sites:

Gwadar, Pakistan: 99-year lease, naval-capable. Part of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor), which is in violation of India's sovereignty as it passes through parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh illegally occupied by Pakistan.

Hambantota, Sri Lanka: 99-year lease after debt default. Can host naval vessels. 

Djibouti: First overseas Chinese Communist Regime base, 2017. Next to the key shipping choke point. 

Myanmar: Kyaukpyu port, oil/gas pipelines bypass the Malacca Strait. 

Maldives: Leases for infrastructure, 2024 “security pact”. 

Concern: Dual-use ports can switch from commercial to military (mis)use.

Economic Coercion Disputes

Australia: After Canberra called for the COVID origins probe in 2020, CCP regime imposed tariffs on barley, wine, coal and banned beef/lobster, affecting a $20 billion trade. Tariffs lifted in 2023-2024. 

India: Apps banned in 2020, investment restrictions after Galwan. Border trade halted. 

Philippines/Vietnam: Fishing boats banned from traditional grounds. Scarborough Shoal seized 2012.

River & Resource Disputes

Brahmaputra/Yarlung Tsangpo: The CCP regime is building a dam, India fears water diversion. 

Mekong: 11 dams in China reduce flow to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia. Fish stocks collapsed.

Why India & Australia group up: The “rules-based order” problem

CCP's Nine-dash line violated the UN Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS); EEZs extend 200 nautical miles from the coast. Quad, Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) push UNCLOS compliance.

CCP’s Island Militarisation is in violation of UNCLOS and impinges on freedom of navigation operations; the stakeholders have strongly opposed this.

Galwan / Doklam moves violates the 1993 / 1996 Border Peace Agreements. Australia-India Framework for Security Cooperation oppose such incursions.

Economic coercion practised by the CCP is violative of international and WTO rules. IPEF pivots on the fair economy pillar and supply chain resilience.

India in 2014 lost 19,000 km² to Bangladesh due to UNCLOS arbitration and complied, to show “commitment to international principles”, but CCP's Expansionist Regime is blatantly disrespectful to international law.

Bottom-line

Disputes stem from CCP regime’s policy since 1949 to restore what it calls the “century of humiliation” — but those claims overlap with modern states and UNCLOS. Result is seven decades of expanding claims backed by military and economic pressure. That’s why India, Australia, Japan, US formed Quad and other blocs like IPEF and IPOI. More coordination and more collaboration among the Indo-Pacific stakeholders is the need of the hour while the free world debates and stakes its points at 23rd Shangri La Dialogue.