China suffered a double whammy after Thailand cancelled the Kra Canal project and delayed the purchase of two Yuan-class S26T submarines.
The canal would undermine the independence of poor Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar and Cambodia
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Kra Canal project, if constructed, would allow China to bypass the Strait of Malacca
- Purchase of two Chinese submarines worth USD 724 million delayed
- China losing key allies in Indo-Pacific Region
New Delhi: China’s Malacca dilemma continues to haunt it after Thailand announced it will scrap the Kra Canal project that Beijing wanted to build to bypass the Strait of Malacca. The Indian Navy had deployed its frontline vessels along the Malacca Straits, a strategic chokepoint, after the Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh.
This comes as a double blow to China amid a standoff with India.
The Thai government has also delayed the purchase of two Chinese submarines worth USD 724 million after facing intense pressure from its arch-rival Pheu Thai Party and the public.
