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LECTURE-4 INDIA AND CHINA

Contents

1. India and China 75

1.1. Background 75

1.1.1. Evolution 75

1.2. Boundary Question and Territorial Integrity 78

1.3. India-China Border: Specific Sectors 79

1.3.1. Western Sector 79

1.3.2. The Eastern Sector 80

1.3.3. The Middle Sector 80

1.4. Current Negotiation Framework 80

1.4.1. Progress in Negotiations Since 2005 80

1.5. The Incident in Doklam Area-2017 81

1.5.1. Confrontation at the Borders: A Pattern 82

1.6. Rivers 83

1.7. Trade and Economy 84

1.8. Geo-Strategic Competition 84

1.9. India’s Response Mechanism 85

1.10. Multilateral Engagement 85

1.10.1 The BCIM Corridor 86

1.11. OBOR/BRI 87

1.11.1. Early Assessment of OBOR/BRI 87

1.11.2. India and the OBOR 88

1.12. The Pakistan Factor 88

1.13. The USA Factor 88

1.14. The Russia Factor 89

1.15. The Japan Factor 89

1.16. The Rise of China and India 89

 

1. India and ChinaMap 4.1- China♤ 5 states viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh share border with China.♤ 15 May 1954: China and India signed the Panchsheel document.♤ 4 September 1958: India officially objects to the inclusion of a big chunk of Northern Assam and NEFA in the China Pictorial - an official organ of the Chinese Peoples’ Republic.♤ February 1961: China refuses to discuss the Sino-Bhutanese and Sino-Sikkimese boundary disputes and further occupies 12,000 square miles in the western sector of the Sino- Indian border.♤ November 1996: Chinese President Jiang Zemin visits India, signs Agreement on Confidence Building Measures (CBM) in the military field along the LAC in the India-China Border Areas.♤ 23 June 2003: Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee makes a landmark visit to China. This marks the Beginning of the Special Representatives framework on Border negotiations♤ May 2015: P.M. Modi visited China. His first stop is Xian, Xi’s home town, after which he’ll♤ In 1993, the signing of an Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the India-China Border Areas.Map4.2 India-China Border1.3. India-China Border: Specific Sectors1.3.1. Western Sector1.4. Current Negotiation Frameworko Stage 1- agreement on the broad principles and political parameters that will be followed for resolving the border dispute.1.5. The Incident in Doklam Area-2017Map4.3-Doklam AreaMap4.4-China-Bhutan♤ Bhutan said the road China has been building would run from the town of Dokola to the Bhutanese army camp at Zompelri.1.6. RiversMap4.5-Chinese Dams on the Brahmaputra♤ India and China Share major River Systems such as the Indus and the Brahmaputra. The two countries do not have any treaty arrangements on the river for water sharing. Under existing bilateral MoU, China provides to India hydrological information of Brahmaputra River (Yarlong Zangbo) and Sutlej River (Langqen Zangbo) during the flood seasons.♤ In this context involving Bangladesh, which is also a co-riparian can be considered to♤ The India-China Economic and Commercial Relations are shaped through various dialogue mechanism such as:1.8. Geo-Strategic Competition1.9. India’s Response Mechanism♤ India-Japan-Australia trilateral1.10. Multilateral Engagement♤ BASIC: bloc of four large newly industrialized countries – Brazil, South Africa, India and China – formed by an agreement on 28 November 2009. The four committed to act jointly at the Copenhagen climate summit.♤ G-20: Both the nations are member of this grouping of developed and emerging economies for deliberating of global economic issues.♤ These developments have given a clear indication that India and China are prepared to work together in their common peripheries.Map4.6-The BCIM Corridor1.11. OBOR/BRI♤ These two ideas combined to form the ambitious One Belt One Road (OBOR) also know as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)o On improving connectivity and cooperation among Asian countries, Africa, China and Europe.♤ It will impact 4.4 billion people.♤ China claims these economic corridors will not only build infrastructure in countries that cannot afford to do it themselves but also boost global trade.♤ Audit firm PwC estimates that currently about US$ 250 billion worth of projects are either underway or signed off.of the project. Thus, it is also seen as a unilateral and exploitative project that involves strategic footholds in important locations around the world♤ The investment: the investment estimates for project of such a magnitude are touted to be in excess of US$ 5 trillion, whereas current Chinese commitment stands at estimated US$ 1 trillion♤ India is the only South-Asian country, apart from Bhutan, not to be involved in the Asian♤ Citing sovereignty issues, India has raised objections over CPEC projects in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK).♤ Recognizing the significance of connectivity and infrastructure India is putting forward alternatives such as the INSTC, Cahabahar corridor and the Asia-Africa growth corridor1.13. The USA FactorIndo-Pacific formulations of the Trump administration.♤ Thus, there seems to be a short term convergence, however this sits on deep seated geographical realities that can change the scenario.1.15. The Japan Factor1.16. The Rise of China and India