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.

What India needs to learn from China

It is important to be conversant with the Chinese thought process in order to deal with them. China respects authoritativeness and it is time that India signals its resolve and intent in dealing with issues of concern.

India and China: Strategic partners in global governance reform

Changing the political relationship between two rising powers requires that both countries use the opportunity provided by their shared interest in global governance reform to develop close cooperation.

Australia-China Strategic Partnership

Timely as it was, the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s five-day China visit may be considered a success on all fronts. Leading the ‘strongest Australian delegation ever’ to China, Gillard pledged to give the relationship a ‘concrete shape’, which in Chinese Premier Li Kequing’s words, is already ‘comprehensive, constructive and cooperative’. This issue brief analyses Julia Gillard’s China visit in the context of rising Australia-China bonhomie.

Rahul Mishra
May 13, 2013
Issue Brief

Lure your enemy onto the roof, then take away the ladder

In the context of recent Chinese assertiveness in Ladakh, it is important to not only understand Sun Tsu but possibly also to follow him.

Chinese lessons in diplomacy

The External Affairs Minister has returned back from his visit to China. Despite this seemingly happy ending to the sordid border incident, inconvenient questions about China’s intentions and assertiveness persist.

Examining the Prospects of South Korea “Going Nuclear”

In the aftermath of recent North Korean actions and threats, there has been in recent times some open debates and discussions about the prospects of South Korea “going nuclear” i.e. developing its own nuclear weapons. This brief argues that short of abrogating all its bilateral and multilateral treaties and obligations with heavy costs, the prospects of it doing so in the short/medium term are not that easy and may not be cost effective.

Significance of Japan-Taiwan Fishery Pact

Recently concluded Japan-Taiwan Fishery Pact warrants careful monitoring of the Cross-Strait relations as the pact displeases China.

Lessons from Somdurong Chu Incident

Incursions and incidents of escalation are not new to India-China relations. Importantly they have been successfully diffused by a combination of adroit diplomacy, ‘show of force’ and political statesmanship.

Mandip Singh
April 26, 2013
IDSA Comments

China’s Defence White Paper 2013: Lessons for India

Struggling to deal with a rigid China on the intractable border issue, India would do well to digest the core assertions of the white paper, including the growing reach of the PLA, its professionalisation, keenness to protect overseas interests, modernisation of the nuclear arsenal, and growing role in foreign policy making.

Arvind Gupta
April 25, 2013
IDSA Comments

The Korean Imbroglio

North Korea’s uranium enrichment programme has made the US jittery and is not totally confident of reopening the six-party talks. Washington needs assurances regarding North Korea’s future nuclear programmes and the key to finding a solution to the present stalemate lies with Beijing.