Rajiv Ranjan on "Water Wars? Damming the Brahmaputra and Its Implications" in Opinion Asia

Rajiv Ranjan, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, on "Water Wars? Damming the Brahmaputra and Its Implications" in Opinion Asia has argued that water may taken on an overtly political dimension, even escalating to a limited military confrontation threatening the peace and stability of the region. It becomes critical therefore that China, India and Bangladesh work towards joint river management for the sustainable development of the Brahmaputra basin if political tension and a military showdown is to be avoided.

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Shashi Bhushan Bharti, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, with his debut book "The China Factor In ROK- U.S. Relations: Trilateral approach"

Shashi Bhushan Bharti, a PhD Candidate in Korean Division at the Centre, in his debut book "The China Factor In ROK- U.S. Relations: Trilateral approach".

"South Korean Peninsula has been the flash point of conflicts between the two power blocks right since the beginning of Cold War. Korea got divided like many other countries namely Vietnam, Germany etc. because of the onset of cold-war between the two superpowers two power blocks. Since then the world politics has been partially determine by the events/happenings in the Korean peninsula or to put it more appropriately in the North-East Asia as like China, Japan, Taiwan (Formosa) and even South-East Asia, through ought Cold War period Korea like Japan remained as flash point for two super powers two power blocks. In post cold war the relevance of South Korea as a strategic partner has not decline precisely because China still remained as a communist state despite having embraced market-led economic system. South Korea's geo-strategic importance becomes all the more relevant because of other half of Korea ie, North Korea still remains communist and has gone nuclear recently. Relations between the United State and Korea have expanded at great extent after the Korean War (1950-1953)"- Book's Blurb

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Gunjan Singh and Avinash Godbole on "Peninsular Shells and the Chinese Dilemma(?)"

 Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea

North Korea is one of those places where all deterrence theories fall flat on their face. The recent instance of North Korean (DPRK) shelling on the South Korean territory of Yeonpyeong is a case in point.

Why does the DPRK behave the way it does? And how it may be related to the recent Chinese pronouncements on "Core Interests?"

Read the complete article here on OpinionAsia. Comments and questions are welcome.

Avinash Godbole, on the 5th plenum of the 17th Party Congress of the CPC

The 5th Plenary Session of the 17th Party Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was recently held in Beijing. This plenum is particularly important because it comes at the cusp of an important political transformation as well as the beginning of a new phase in the Chinese economy.

What is the importance of this Plenum? Avinash Godbole writes his perspectives on the Plenum here on OpinionAsia.

The author is a PhD Candidate at the Centre and Research Assistant at IDSA, New Delhi.

Gunjan Singh, a PhD Candidate at the centre, on Pentagon Report on China

Gunjan Singh, a PhD Candidate at the centre and Research Assistant at IDSA, New Delhi explores the merits of Pentagon Report on China. She criticized the report and says that report reveals nothing new and nothing that was not already known. It appears to be a compilation of developments which were in discussion in open forums for the last one year. As far as China’s military budget is concerned it has always been a matter of speculation for people who are trying to analyze Chinese military developments. Secondly, cyber attacks have already generated huge attention and anxiety among defence establishments around the world........

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Avinash Godbole, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, on Industrial and Environmental Disasters inside China

Avinash Godbole, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, in his article for IDSA, New Delhi, asserts that industrial and environment disaster in China is a threat to human security, He illustrates that a combination of some natural causes and some macro economic policies has caused much of the recent floods and droughts. It is a glaring fact that the world’s factory is not able to manage the costs of its status as the second largest economy in the world...............

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Rajiv Ranjan, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, on Damming the Brahmaputra River

Rajiv Ranjan, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, warns that any attempt of damming Brahmaputra by China, will threaten the peace and security in South Asia in his article for IPCS, New Delhi. He suggests that to protect the interests and sovereignty of India, it becomes essential for India to engage in dialogue with China on the issue. Even China, if it intends to normalize her relations with India and seeks peace and security in the regions, has to give proper considerations to the lower riparian. Unilateral advancement on the part of China leads to political confrontation in the region. A confrontation will further hinder the relationship.......

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Gunjan Singh, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, explore the new dimensions in China-Pakistan Relations

Gunjan Singh, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, explore the new dimension in China-Pakistan Relations in her article for IPCS, New Delhi. She says this move by Beijing becomes interesting when viewed in the context of its domestic development. This step gives Kashgar the status of a special economic zone. This will provide encouragement in the establishment of business and industries in the city. By connecting it to Pakistan, Beijing is also ensuring an easy and direct access to an untapped market.........
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Bhavana Singh, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, on 'TURKISTAN ISLAMIC PARTY'

Bhavana Singh, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, explores the future of Turkistan Islamic Party. She asserts that the movement exhibits irrevocable signs of dilapidation.The rhetoric of its leaders seems anachronistic in embracing an anti-communist strategy in the present day circumstances........

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SRIPARNA PATHAK, Research Scholar at the Centre, on Japan- American relations: (Absence of) Evolution in the 21st Century

SRIPARNA PATHAK locates the evolving Japan- American relations in the 21st Century.

When Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the President of the United States of America, his assumption of office was accompanied by the slogan, “Change is Here”. However, reflecting upon Japan- America relations, one hardly sees any change. The specific issue in question being that of the removal of American troops (U.S. Marine Corps Base at Futenma, on Okinawa).

When Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama went to attend last month’s nuclear summit in Washington, Mr. Hatoyama’s officials lobbied hard for a one on one meeting between Yukio and Obama. The request was rudely refused and the Japanese Prime Minister had to settle for a meeting of merely ten minutes with Obama, over dinner. The treatment meted out to the Japanese Prime Minister was definitely humiliating as has been pointed out by the Japanese media. The humiliation extended to Barack Obama bluntly informing Mr. Hatoyama that he was running out of time to settle the dispute over relocation of a U.S. Marine Corps base at Futenma on Okinawa, and asked him directly whether he was trustworthy.

When Mr. Hatoyama’s Democratic Party won the elections in Japan in August 2009, Mr. Hatoyama had largely put forth ideas about Japan’s independent voice in the world, and about loosening American dominance. Nevertheless, these have been responded to by the United States with warnings about the consequences for Japan and the Asia Pacific region.

After the Second World War, Japanese foreign policy has largely been pacifist in nature, and the presence of the Seventh Fleet in Japan has been a perpetual reality since then. This can be seen as a signal that the legacy of the Cold War lives on even till date, not just in the fact that there are two Koreas, but also in the fact that the United States of America sees it essential that a fleet be positioned in Japan to safeguard it, and/or to ensure that a belligerent Japan preceding the Second World War does not become a reality once again.

Nevertheless the international system has undergone several changes since the decade of the 1950s. Strategic moves and tactics that are realist in nature can no longer ensure international security. Conceptions of international security as such, particularly in the 21st century are completely different from what used to be in the 1950s. As such current discourses on international security are directed by the notions and the need for growth, sustainable development, enhancement of trade and economic cooperation, and not by ideas on military acquisitions or preparations for war. Thus, the realist paradigm through which U.S. policies on Okinawa seem to be operating needs a serious rethink.

Besides this, the tactics of bullying and playing the ‘big brother’ need to be done away with. The U.S. might be the strongest in terms of military power, but that does not change the fact that the current international system is multipolar in nature with states such as Japan, China and India playing important roles.

The Asian culture largely respects the ‘other’ and deems it essential to treat ‘guests’ with reverence. This however does not mean that snubbing and bluntness can be imposed on the leaders or heads of states with cultures that are seen as more hospitable.

Analysing tenets of Robert Putnam’s Game Theory in international relations, diplomats or those engaged in bilateral negotiations or discussions always aim at getting the better position in the bargain. However international relations, particularly in the 21st century, is not a zero sum game and both the parties attempt to ensure that the outcome is at least a win-win outcome for both the parties. Even this theory proves inadequate to analyse the meeting between Obama and Yukio, because the American side clearly seeks to bully and overpower, denying the Japanese side even the scope to place its side on the negotiating table. Thus, American foreign policy vis- a- vis Japan cannot be even called realist in nature. It is simply tactics of bullying, snubbing, dominating and threatening that are in clear play, and as such need a serious rethink.

Gunjan Singh, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, on 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan Struggle

Gunjan Singh, a PhD Candidate at the Centre & Research Assistant at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, on 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan Struggle...

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Rajiv Ranjan reviews Garry L. Chamberlain's "Troubled Waters: Religion, Ethics and the Global Water Crisis "

Rajiv Ranjan, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, reviews Garry L. Chamberlain's "Troubled Waters: Religion, Ethics and the Global Water Crisis " in Millennium: Journal of International studies..

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Avinash Godbole, a PhD Candidate at the Centre, on "Contradictory Tendencies in the India-China Relationship"

Avinash Godbole, a PhD Candidate at the Centre & Research Assistant at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, examines the tendencies in the India-China Relationship.

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“Friendship via the Media”

The media has been often referred to as the watch dog of the nation. The importance of the media cannot be negated in a world wherein information is considered to be of utmost importance. For the realist school of thought, the media and information technology are of priority as long as they act as tools of the state- the utmost importance still being given to the state as the most important actor in the international system.

However, as the recent decision regarding Beijing and Delhi’s work on diplomacy via media proves, the media can work to the benefit of the states independently, and not merely as a tool in the hands of the states.

The primary rationale behind this decision taken recently is that good diplomatic relations can begin with friendly media. The classification of the media as an element of soft power can be labelled futile when a look is taken at the events in the latter half of 2009, when relations between China and India came under strain due to unsolicited and surcharged statements published in the media of the respective countries.

The decision to work on diplomacy via the media between India and China was triggered by the Chinese expressing to New Delhi that the Chinese media had been instructed against stirring up negativism in their relationship. A delegation comprising of eight member- editors from China will be in India in the month of January, on an invitation from the Ministry of External Affairs. The visit was due in November 2008, but had been postponed after the diplomatic spat over the visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh.

The team members include four from Beijing, two from Shanghai, and the chief of the opinion desk at People’s Daily. ¹ According to the Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie, China and India should make efforts to lead the media and public opinion to a positive direction, which would enable in the creation of favourable environment for the enhancement of bilateral ties.

Besides this, Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna is scheduled to visit China in April 2010, and President Pratibha Patil’s visit to China is scheduled in May 2010. Also, a China festival in India and an India festival in China are being planned. All these are for the purpose of bolstering friendly relations between the two countries.

Thus as clearly visible, new avenues for friendship using the media as a tool are being explored by these two states. In such circumstances, realsit claims of boundaries and frontiers being the primary concerns for states are clearly falsified.

1 Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Friday, January 08, 2009, “Beijing, Delhi work on Diplomacy Via Media.”

One Step One Mind

A Chinese Play (directed by Yang Ching-Ling) portraying Hsuen Tsang(Tangsen) travel to India and understanding the true meaning of Buddhism played on the eve of New Year 2010 and New Decade at Aiwan-E- Ghalib Auditorium, New Delhi.

The play chooses "death" as the issue on the cultural exchange.In Chinese culture, people avoid mentioning death. Confucius says "Without understanding life, how can you understand death?" This is the typical attitude of Chinese.

And for Chinese, how to face the reality is the truly urgent for matter. But Indian culture, "death" is an important concept because they value the extrication of soul. And the death is the only way to get extrication.

Tangsen passes through the desert and experiences death in per

son and realizes the true meaning of "sunyata" in the Buddha's teaching. "Sunyata" doesn't mean 'nothing' or 'empty'. But it is newborn, joyful and completely at ease after abandoning all the obstruction in mind. Therefore, depicting the image of Indian god, Shiva. Destruction is reconstruction.

"Combined with mercy and wisdom,

Together with ambition and wisdom,

The still water, the deep ocean,

One notion one mind

One dust one sand

One flower one moon

One wind one gentleness

The notion passes away.

The mind calms down

With deep wisdom and merciful mind,

All difficulties become gold.

All the human kinds are linked together

Mercy, Wisdom, Ambition and Action ".

Hunag Li-Hui brilliantly portrayed the character of Hsuen Tsang in the musical play whereas role of Shiva played by Lee Ming Cheng was amazing while doing 'Tandava'.

Master Hsuen Tsang is the greatest Buddhist monk who makes the best cultural exchange in Chinese History. Some people call him a 'philosopher', 'traveler', 'interpreter'. But he called "Tangsen" in the famous novel, "Journey to the West". "Tangsen"means a monk in Tang dynasty. It seems to be more proper for Hsuen Tsang because this title means that he makes a cultural exchange between India and China. In fact, the very name "Tangsen" is given by Indians. Thus, title shows the respect and the brilliance between these two countries.

The Buddhism has culturally connected countries of Asia, particularly Southeast and East Asian countries. Although, India is birthplace of Buddhism, there are many untold stories to be heard related with Buddhism in different countries. Although, Indian people are aware of Hsuen Tsang visit and stay at the Nalanda University, the great Buddhist centre of learning of the time, story of visiting most sacred sites of India connected with the life of the Lord Buddha is relatively unknown.And the play decipher the one such untold story of Hsuen Tsang.

More than 90 percent of the Taiwanese people practice Chinese traditional religion , which integrates elements of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. It signifies the cultural affinity between India and Taiwan.