The meeting between Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on 28-29 October has brought about a warming of the atmosphere and may lead to progress in Sino-Indian relations.
China’s moves concerning Kashmir evoke apprehension regarding retrogressive changes in its Kashmir policy, designed to give it a hold over India. The best case scenario for China is that the Kashmir issue is never resolved; and if this issue inches towards any kind of resolution, that China should be considered a party to the Kashmir dispute.
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visited Beijing on October 16 – 21 to discuss cooperation in manned space flight. While one swallow does not make a summer, it may signal that the US may be considering greater engagement with China in outer space, particularly manned flight.
The fruits of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Japan can be seen in the conclusion of negotiations on the long-pending CEPA, start of the negotiations on a civil nuclear pact and sharing of views on Afghanistan, UN reform, and on engaging China as a responsible stakeholder for peace and stability in Asia.
Since this is the first time that a Han Chinese citizen has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his anti-government stand, Beijing’s nervousness is understandable.
Sino-US rivalry has been simmering for the past many years, as China has replaced Russia in the American scheme of things as its most potent adversary.
The power transition in North Korea is bound to produce more political intrigue in the coming months, with the junior Kim concentrating more on military modernization and nuclear programme to strengthen his position.
South African President Jacob Zuma has affirmed the mutually beneficial economic relationship between China and Africa, including with his country, notwithstanding the negative sides to this relationship. It is clear that China’s role in Africa is changing the terms of engagement with the region. That is perhaps the biggest challenge for India and the rest of the world in their future Africa strategy.
Fresh Impetus to Sino-Indian Relations
The meeting between Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi on 28-29 October has brought about a warming of the atmosphere and may lead to progress in Sino-Indian relations.