East Asia

About Centre

The East Asia Centre is dedicated to studying the domestic and foreign policies of the region as well as India’s multifaceted relationships with the major countries of this region. With respect to China, the Centre’s research foci are its foreign policy, domestic politics, economy, military affairs, and India’s relations with China in all its dimensions. It monitors developments in China’s autonomous and special administrative regions. The Centre also focuses on Taiwan with reference to cross-Strait relations, ties with the US, India-Taiwan relations and domestic politics. The Centre researches Japanese and Korean affairs. Its major research focus is on their domestic politics, foreign policy and comprehensive bilateral relationships with India. It follows the developments in the Korean peninsula and inter-Korean relations. The geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific is studied at the Centre too.

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

Thailand’s Recurrent ‘Colour’ Protests

The central question is whether democracy or semi-democracy should be subordinated to the personal ambitions of a few leaders like Thaksin or should the rule of law prevail.

Pankaj K Jha
April 12, 2010
IDSA Comments

Google China ‘Warfare’: Turning a non issue to win-win strategy

If freedom of expression was the issue then other American internet service companies like Microsoft and Yahoo! should have also exited China along with Google.

As China prepares for post-Dalai Lama Tibet, what is India to do with the Tibetan Exiles?

While China has shown eagerness for the Dalai Lama’s return to China, it has categorically refused to take back the exiled Tibetan population based in India.

Testing Times for the Japan-US Alliance: “Secret Pact” Revealed

Notwithstanding revelations about the secret nuclear pact, the Japan-US alliance is likely to remain strong and the East Asian security order will continue to be determined by the American presence

Rajaram Panda
March 16, 2010
IDSA Comments

Japan unveils existence of a secret nuke pact with the US

The disclosure of this agreement is aimed at scoring political points as well as addressing the discontent among the nuclear allergic Japanese who want adherence to the non-nuclear principles in letter and sprit.

The 51st Anniversary of the Tibetan Struggle: What is the future?

China has to accept that the long term solution to Tibetan discontent lies in granting greater autonomy to Tibetans instead of pursuing assimilation oriented policies.

Gunjan Singh
March 12, 2010
IDSA Comments

Contradictory Tendencies in the India-China Relationship: Does it help the bilateral relationship?

Contradictions in India-China relations provide the rationale for greater engagement exactly like it has done in the case of US-China relations.

Hatoyama Battles to Wrest Control Power from the Bureaucrats

With Hatoyama’s determination to wrest policymaking power from bureaucrats in full swing, Japan is likely to witness an intense battle between the political masters and the powerful bureaucrats for supremacy.

Rajaram Panda
March 02, 2010
IDSA Comments

Hurdles Ahead for Japan as the APEC Chair

With APEC accounting for half the world’s global economic output and 44 per cent of its trade value, Japan’s role in creating a region wide free-trade zone and developing a strategy for economic growth of the Asia Pacific is expected to be decisive for the world economy.

Pranamita Baruah
February 25, 2010
IDSA Comments

Tension in the Korean Peninsula escalates again

The delicately maintained peace in the Korean peninsula once again looks fragile in the wake of the war of words and exchange of artillery fire along the disputed western sea border in January 2010.