India, Nov. 8 -- By securing forward air nodes in Laos, an integrated naval terminal at Ream, and expanding dual-use deep-water strong points at Kyaukphyu in Myanmar and Gwadar in Pakistan, Beijing is building a continuous military arc around the Indian subcontinent.

To casual observers, the opening of the China-Laos Military Joint Support and Training Center at Ban Keun Airport on September 29, 2026, looks like a benign bilateral initiative. But the international community must refuse to view this through a keyhole. When China strips away the sovereign buffers of Southeast Asia, the defensive perimeters safeguarding Taiwan, India, and global maritime arteries freeze.

Taiwan and the United States cannot afford to dismiss China's creepin...