How India & China see each other
- Taiwan’s relationship with China is based on historical animosity, national identity, economic and power asymmetry and the dominant influence of United States.
- Countermeasures to cope with the threat are adopted by states that often take the form of balancing, through internal strength, either military or economic or external partnerships with allies where some states join another power while some seek a constructive engagement through Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).
- The weaker of the two will improve its capabilities. India has albeit slowly improved militarily and is building a network of cooperative relationship with other states extending from the Asia Pacific to Indian Ocean.
- India’s nuclear weapons capability, is not driven by the nuclear powers in the UN Security Council other than China. India wanted to pay the price of economic and other sanctions in order to become a nuclear weapons state to change the asymmetry and allow New Delhi to approach its bilateral problems with China in a confident manner.
- Pakistan’s nuclear capability is supported and sustained by China. India is not a nuclear threat to China,but as India is a rising power and has improved ties with US, this a new variable in China’s calculus of asymmetry.
- Tibet is a source of friction between China and India. China is unable to satisfy the Tibetan population or the global opinion on its intentions, has opposed the discourse on autonomy and changed the military infrastructure in Tibet. It has little control over the role of Dalai Lama and international media.
- The slow pace of boundary negotiations and a continuing series of irritants on disputed borders have a connection with Beijing’s Tibet conundrum.
- South Asia is an arena for the rivalry between China and India. Hostile relations between India and Pakistan, Beijing’s is involved through its military and nuclear assistance to Pakistan, its role in Sri Lanka, China’s actions in Nepal, Myanmar and in Maldives have added to New Delhi’s threat perceptions from China.
- China approach to the resolution of boundary issue and its tone and tenor during the stand off on LAC in Ladakh in 2013, has combined to create in India the widely held perception of an inflexible China.
- China’s economic growth is admirable when combined with its massive military capabilities and its demands on Japan, Indonesia and South Korea have led to intensified perceptions of Chinese strategic threats from Washington DC to Canberra.
- China has worked against India’s entry as a permanent member of UN Security Council. The rise of India and China is voiced by Indian leaders and supported by the Indian media.The co-emergence has found traction in both countries, albeit with two states at different pace and capacity. In reality there is a considerable gap between Indian and Chinese aspirations and actions.
Exams Perspective :
- India China Bilateral Reltions
- String of Pearls
- South Asia
- Southeast Asia