East Asia

About Centre

The East Asia Centre is dedicated to study and research the domestic and foreign policies of individual countries of the region as well as India’s multifaceted relationships with these countries. With respect to China, the Centre’s research foci are its foreign policy (particularly towards the US, Russia, Central Asia and Asia Pacific), domestic politics, economy, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and India’s relationship with China in all its dimensions. The Centre’s research also focuses on Taiwan, its domestic politics, Sino-Taiwanese relationship and Indo-Taiwanese relationship, Hong Kong and India-Hong Kong relations. Japan and Korea are the other major focus of the Centre, with its research focused on their domestic politics, foreign policy and comprehensive bilateral relationships with India. The geopolitics of the Asia Pacific and the Korean peninsula are also studied in the Centre.

The centre brings out five monthly newsletters: East Asia Military Monitor, Japan Digest, China Science and Technology, Korea Newsletter, and China Military Digest.

Rising Instability and Regional Naval Modernisation in East Asia

Considering the complementary interests and interdependencies at stake between China and Japan as also their individual aspirations of nation building through peace and stability, a clash over the Senkakus would only result in a ‘lose-lose’ outcome.

The Likely Composition of the Central Military Commission of the 18th Party Congress of China

There are major changes in the CMC, with eight out of 12 members likely to bow out of office. The cascading effect on the change of guard in the General Departments and the operational units will keep the PLA unsettled for some time

Mandip Singh
October 31, 2012
Issue Brief

The Two Myths of 1962

In the ongoing debate on the 1962 War, two issues have not been adequately addressed: the myth that the Indian Army had not provided viable military options, and the reasons for the non-use of the combat potential of the Indian Air Force.

Ramesh Phadke
October 31, 2012
IDSA Comments

Who Started the Fighting—- The Sequel

When Nehru wrote to Zhou that China either accept the McMahon Line alignment along the highest watershed or go by the strict coordinates as per the original McMahon map, the Chinese, realising the folly committed by their Premier, demurred.

R. S. Kalha
October 28, 2012
IDSA Comments

On East Asian Regional Integration from the Perspective of Economic Security

In view of putative conflict for leadership in the region between China and Japan, and barriers in various initiatives for deepening and stabilizing regional financial markets, the economic-security discourse in East Asia is still facing an uncertain prospect and should be continually monitored.

Chin-Ming Lin
October 23, 2012
IDSA Comments

The Commissioning of Liaoning: An Example of China’s Declaratory Strategy?

Since the commissioning of the Liaoning in itself does not change the present balance of power, it makes more sense if it is interpreted as a diplomatic message especially to the ASEAN countries.

Adrien Frossard
October 22, 2012
IDSA Comments

The 50th Anniversary of the Border Conflict With China: A Strategic Analysis

The 1962 border conflict moulded our security and strategic thinking into a defensive mindset, and its 50th anniversary is an appropriate time to review those lessons as we seek our place in the new multi-polar world.

Mukul Sanwal
October 19, 2012
IDSA Comments

Who started the fighting?

Let us examine the facts as they are, to see if the Chinese contention of a counter-attack to throw Indian aggressors out has any merit or, as India believes, it was nothing but a premeditated attack by China.

R. S. Kalha
October 17, 2012
IDSA Comments

The 1962 War: Will China speak about it?

A global power like China must not hesitate to acknowledge its historical mistakes: it needs to have sufficient self-confidence to withstand the consequent discomfort and embarrassment.

What the Chinese White Paper Says on Diao Yu Dao? An Opportunity to Revisit the Issue

This Issue Brief presents the historical and legal debate surrounding the dispute and in the process underscores the inconsistencies and weaknesses in the Chinese claims.