Round The
World
New Delhi, 10 April
2013
India-China Ties
UNEASY NEIGHBOURS OR GROWING
PARTNERS?
By Amrita Banerjee
Research Scholar, School of International
Studies, JNU
Distant or
uneasy neighbours are often used to describe India-China relations as one
strives hard to understand the dynamics between the two rising powers that are
set to herald an Asian Century. Given the ties are marred by the familiar
legacy of Troubled Borders, left behind by the British. These disturbed borders
have turned South Asia into a hotbed of
politics.
Alongside,
both nations economies and their defence preparedness have grown at a fast pace
over the years, wherein their borders are witnessing an unusual military build-up.
Against this background, is the “apparent” peace on the frontiers a guarantee
for the future? Or is it a lull before the storm? ‘How are ties between the
emerging powers shaping up? Importantly, will the once-in-a-decade leadership
change in Beijing
alter the equation between the two countries?
There were
widespread speculations, expectations and apprehensions when President Xi
Jinping became China’s
new leader. Specially as India did not figure prominently in Beijing’s foreign
policy itinerary as China focused primarily on its relations with the US, Japan
and Russia. This, many argued was not bad but a reflection of the increasingly
stable nature of ties rather than lack of interest. The seriousness of this
claim remains to be seen.
Pertinently,
President Xi, in an interview on the sideline of the recently concluded BRICS
Summit in Durban, outlined a “five point
proposal’’ to improve ties with India.
This offer talked about maintaining strategic communication and keeping ties on
the right track, expanding cooperation in infrastructure and mutual investment,
strengthening cultural ties, increasing coordination on multilateral affairs
and accommodating each other’s core concerns to “properly handle differences”.
Indeed, Xi
stressed continuity but offered little in way of specifics or new ideas from
what his predecessor Hun Junta had stated. Plainly, old wine in a new bottle. Also
increasing Chinese footprints in India’s neighbourhood vis-à-vis a possible Sri Lanka-China space cooperation, along-with
the ‘String of Pearls’, in no way eases New Delhi’s worries. The Chinese
President’s first overseas visit to Russia,
India’s
time tested friend, has warning bells ringing.
Notably, China appears less willing to deal with thorny
issues such as scramble for energy in the African continent, share hydrological
information about building dams on the Brahmaputra
and has maintained mysterious silence on its continuing projects in the
disputable PoK region. The recent Chinese approval for three new dams --- Jiexu,
Zangmu and Jiacha on the Brahmaputra remains
clouded in controversy as adequate information about their height, nature, flow
of river water and its effects on the lower riparian States remain to be
discussed.
Beijing has also challenged New
Delhi’s right to drill on an oil concession bloc awarded to it by Vietnam in the South China
Sea. These issues alongside the long meandering border dispute
remain to be sorted out. With so many irritants and trust deficit can we ever
bridge this gap?
The
Communist Party of China’s, official newspaper, People’s Daily, recently suggested that there are two areas of
cooperation where China now sees its main interest with India --- border issue
to be “controlled effectively” and an increasing focus on trade and
multilateral issues like climate change that will herald “a new chapter” in its
ties. India,
it said, has become an important destination for Chinese investment with
contracts worth $55 billion, particularly in power and telecom sectors.
President Xi
after meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on the BRICS sidelines, made a
pitch for boosting military contact to deepen trust between both countries. He
called for arriving at a mutually acceptable solution to the border dispute “as
soon as possible by accommodating each other’s core concerns” and also called
for broadening exchanges between the armed forces which were suspended in 2010
after China refused to host
the then head of Army’s Northern Command citing its sensitivities regarding Kashmir.
Significantly,
China’s change in posture coincides
with increasing tensions which Beijing faces
with Japan in the South China Sea. As an effort to promote bonhomie,
Beijing has assured New Delhi that the dams on River Brahmaputra would be run
of river type (ROR), a type of environment friendly hydro-electric generation
whereby little or no water storage is provided unlike traditional dams that
store enormous quantities of water in reservoirs.
Nonetheless,
despite China’s assurances, India’s fears about diversion of the Brahmaputra have not been completely assuaged. Thus, New Delhi is deploying high-end technology and spending
vast money to keep an eye on water conductor systems and basins adjacent to the
Brahmaputra for clues on canals constructions to take the water to China’s North-Western
provinces. This would leave India’s
North-East thirsty.
As a
response to New Delhi’s concerns, President Xi
agreed on a joint mechanism to monitor dam construction on the controversial Brahmaputra River. Besides, the issue of “stapled
visas” has been sorted out by the Chinese. These progressive developments would
impact relations positively.
New Delhi has responded to this goodwill gesture by
assuring Beijing that this would not be used as
a tool to contain China in
US’s Asia policy and it would not allow any anti-Chinese
activities by Tibetans on its soil. Recently, Indian and Chinese varsities
signed a first-of-its-kind MoU with Karnataka-based Manipal University,
thereby paving the way for closer collaboration on joint research projects.
Further, Afghanistan could
open a new cooperative chapter in India-China ties since both countries have
substantial stakes therein specially investments in mines and oilfields. Also
terrorism spilling over from the Afghan boundary could threaten peace and
development prospects in both countries. However, Afghanistan would cease to be
an opportunity if both start playing the “Pakistan” card against each other.
Clearly, conflict
and cooperation is the reality of ties between the two countries. That India
and China are neighbours is a geo-political reality which can never be negated.
Also we cannot change, alter or choose our neighbours. Alas, thanks to the low
level of political trust, it is tough for both nations to be forthcoming about
their strategic intentions.
However, today
the scope for cooperation is immense and has the potential to turn the
neighbours into emerging partners. Xi’s friendly postures towards India and the
appearance of China’s First Lady, Peng Liyuan, present Beijing’s ‘softer and
benign side of leadership’.
Yet, it is
too early to judge things on the surface. As India attempts to understand the
new Chinese leadership, the future could unfold interesting things. On her
part, New Delhi must be watchful about her priorities so that any engagement
with Beijing does not jeopardize her core national interests. ----- INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
|