03-05-2018, 12:07 AM
*** 5-Mar-18 World View -- India and Vietnam sign security agreements for the South China Sea
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** India and Vietnam sign security agreements for the South China Sea
****
![[Image: g180304b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g180304b.jpg)
Vietnam's Tran Dai Quang visits Narendra Modi in New Delhi
During a state visit by Vietnam's president Tran Dai Quang to New
Delhi on Saturday, Quang and India's president Narendra Modi reached
agreements to increase trade and investment between the two countries,
and to cooperate in development projects in the defense sector and to
boost ties in oil and gas exploration.
Possibly the most significant agreement was a statement which, while
not specifically naming China, strongly objected to China's actions in
the South China Sea. According to the joint statement issued after
the Quang-Modi meeting:
<QUOTE>"27. The two sides re-affirmed their determination and
efforts to further cooperate in maintaining peace, stability and
development in the Indo-Pacific region as well as in the world at
large. They also reiterated the importance of, and the need for
complete compliance with international law, notably the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), including
the implementation of international legal obligations in good
faith, the maintenance of freedom of navigation and over-flight in
the South China Sea, full respect for diplomatic and legal
processes, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to
the threat or use of force, and in accordance with international
law. In this regard, both sides support the full and effective
implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in
the South China Sea (DOC) and look forward to an early conclusion
of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China
Sea."<END QUOTE>
In the past, China has used military force to prevent Vietnamese
fishing boats from fishing in their own territorial waters.
A possible future flash point is India’s Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation (ONGC) exploration activities in Vietnam's territorial
waters in the South China Sea. The Vietnamese President said, "We
highly value projects, including the cooperation in joint oil and gas
exploration in the continental shelf of Vietnam."
The two leaders also signed pacts to provide for cooperation in areas
of nuclear energy, trade and agriculture. Times of India and Vietnam News and Business Today (India)
****
**** India's relationship with Southeast Asian nations overshadowed by China
****
In the 1990s, India adopted a "Look East" policy, committing the
country to actively engage the countries of Southeast Asia in terms of
trade, security, and agriculture. Nothing much came out of that
policy, and in November 2014, India's prime minister Narendra Modi
announced that the "Look East" policy would be replaced by an "Act
East" policy.
Still, not much has happened as a result of the Act East policy, but a
highly symbolic event occurred in January, when India held a Republic
Day celebration on January 25, and invited the leaders of all ten
countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and
they all agreed to come. According to a euphoric India media blog:
<QUOTE>"It is unprecedented, to say the least. It is a coup
of sorts: the presence of all 10 Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (Asean) leaders as chief guests for India’s Republic Day
celebrations in New Delhi. This puts much speculation to rest as
to whether all 10 heads of governments would be present on the
occasion or not.
Notwithstanding some of these countries maintaining close ties
with China, all the Asean leaders have decided to be present for
today’s India-Asean Commemorative Summit as well as Republic Day
tomorrow. This would send out a clear message that Delhi’s Act
East policy complements Asean’s Act West one. India’s focus is now
on upping the game to be a player in Southeast Asia to balance
power dynamics."<END QUOTE>
However, the euphoria was ridiculed by media commentary in other
countries, comparing India's influence with that of China. From
Singapore:
<QUOTE>"Amidst palpable euphoria at India hosting the heads
of all 10 Asean countries as guests of honor at its Republic Day
ceremonial parade, preceded a day earlier by an Asean-India summit
celebrating the silver anniversary of their relationship, India
needs to shed its abiding image of bureaucratic inertia, of being
tardy and slovenly in turning its initiatives into action. ...
China comes across as a Plutus or a Croesus, enticing India's ring
of neighbors. India is perceived more like a poor Lazarus. That
India has no deep pockets is understandable; what is inexcusable
is its bureaucratic sloth and smugness.
While India remains a laggard, in sharp contrast China sprints
ahead. India is seen as chugging along, metaphorically, with a
bullock-cart mentality; China has zipped ahead like a Formula One
racing car."<END QUOTE>
China's media was even more contemptuous:
<QUOTE>"Repeated reports by some Indian media that New Delhi
has launched a diplomatic offensive against Beijing are baffling
to the Chinese public. India and ASEAN have the right to hold the
summit, which exerts no negative effect upon China. However, some
Indians are tenacious in exaggerating the meeting's implications
to China.
In fact an examination of the China-Southeast Asia relationship
suggests that the situation is not like that the Indian media
depicts. ASEAN's trade volume with China is more than six times
that of India, and China's investment in the region is 10 times
that of India.
Some members of the Indian elite enjoy engaging in geopolitical
bluster. But they cannot truly gauge the reality of India's
comprehensive strength and diplomatic experience. They are
beginners playing at geopolitics.
Honestly speaking, Chinese people are not occupied by India. New
Delhi is not Beijing's major trading partner, and, despite border
disputes, is not an imminent security threat to us
Chinese."<END QUOTE>
It actually is somewhat surprising that all ten ASEAN country leaders
were willing to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. Cambodia
and Laos are very close partners with China, and one can imagine that
they asked China's permission before attending. Other ASEAN countries
have varying relations with China and India, but in most cases China
is a more important trading partner.
Vietnam seems to be the ASEAN country forging the closest links to
India, not only economically, but confronting China in the South China
Sea. The Diplomat and Times of India (24-Jan) and Straits Times (Singapore, 26-Jan) and Global Times (China) and East-West Center (13-Feb)
Related Articles
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, India, Narendra Modi, Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang,
China, South China Sea, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, ONGC,
Look East, Act East, Cambodia, Laos, Republic Day, Singapore,
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- India and Vietnam sign security agreements for the South China Sea
- India's relationship with Southeast Asian nations overshadowed by China
****
**** India and Vietnam sign security agreements for the South China Sea
****
Vietnam's Tran Dai Quang visits Narendra Modi in New Delhi
During a state visit by Vietnam's president Tran Dai Quang to New
Delhi on Saturday, Quang and India's president Narendra Modi reached
agreements to increase trade and investment between the two countries,
and to cooperate in development projects in the defense sector and to
boost ties in oil and gas exploration.
Possibly the most significant agreement was a statement which, while
not specifically naming China, strongly objected to China's actions in
the South China Sea. According to the joint statement issued after
the Quang-Modi meeting:
<QUOTE>"27. The two sides re-affirmed their determination and
efforts to further cooperate in maintaining peace, stability and
development in the Indo-Pacific region as well as in the world at
large. They also reiterated the importance of, and the need for
complete compliance with international law, notably the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), including
the implementation of international legal obligations in good
faith, the maintenance of freedom of navigation and over-flight in
the South China Sea, full respect for diplomatic and legal
processes, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to
the threat or use of force, and in accordance with international
law. In this regard, both sides support the full and effective
implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in
the South China Sea (DOC) and look forward to an early conclusion
of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the South China
Sea."<END QUOTE>
In the past, China has used military force to prevent Vietnamese
fishing boats from fishing in their own territorial waters.
A possible future flash point is India’s Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation (ONGC) exploration activities in Vietnam's territorial
waters in the South China Sea. The Vietnamese President said, "We
highly value projects, including the cooperation in joint oil and gas
exploration in the continental shelf of Vietnam."
The two leaders also signed pacts to provide for cooperation in areas
of nuclear energy, trade and agriculture. Times of India and Vietnam News and Business Today (India)
****
**** India's relationship with Southeast Asian nations overshadowed by China
****
In the 1990s, India adopted a "Look East" policy, committing the
country to actively engage the countries of Southeast Asia in terms of
trade, security, and agriculture. Nothing much came out of that
policy, and in November 2014, India's prime minister Narendra Modi
announced that the "Look East" policy would be replaced by an "Act
East" policy.
Still, not much has happened as a result of the Act East policy, but a
highly symbolic event occurred in January, when India held a Republic
Day celebration on January 25, and invited the leaders of all ten
countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and
they all agreed to come. According to a euphoric India media blog:
<QUOTE>"It is unprecedented, to say the least. It is a coup
of sorts: the presence of all 10 Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (Asean) leaders as chief guests for India’s Republic Day
celebrations in New Delhi. This puts much speculation to rest as
to whether all 10 heads of governments would be present on the
occasion or not.
Notwithstanding some of these countries maintaining close ties
with China, all the Asean leaders have decided to be present for
today’s India-Asean Commemorative Summit as well as Republic Day
tomorrow. This would send out a clear message that Delhi’s Act
East policy complements Asean’s Act West one. India’s focus is now
on upping the game to be a player in Southeast Asia to balance
power dynamics."<END QUOTE>
However, the euphoria was ridiculed by media commentary in other
countries, comparing India's influence with that of China. From
Singapore:
<QUOTE>"Amidst palpable euphoria at India hosting the heads
of all 10 Asean countries as guests of honor at its Republic Day
ceremonial parade, preceded a day earlier by an Asean-India summit
celebrating the silver anniversary of their relationship, India
needs to shed its abiding image of bureaucratic inertia, of being
tardy and slovenly in turning its initiatives into action. ...
China comes across as a Plutus or a Croesus, enticing India's ring
of neighbors. India is perceived more like a poor Lazarus. That
India has no deep pockets is understandable; what is inexcusable
is its bureaucratic sloth and smugness.
While India remains a laggard, in sharp contrast China sprints
ahead. India is seen as chugging along, metaphorically, with a
bullock-cart mentality; China has zipped ahead like a Formula One
racing car."<END QUOTE>
China's media was even more contemptuous:
<QUOTE>"Repeated reports by some Indian media that New Delhi
has launched a diplomatic offensive against Beijing are baffling
to the Chinese public. India and ASEAN have the right to hold the
summit, which exerts no negative effect upon China. However, some
Indians are tenacious in exaggerating the meeting's implications
to China.
In fact an examination of the China-Southeast Asia relationship
suggests that the situation is not like that the Indian media
depicts. ASEAN's trade volume with China is more than six times
that of India, and China's investment in the region is 10 times
that of India.
Some members of the Indian elite enjoy engaging in geopolitical
bluster. But they cannot truly gauge the reality of India's
comprehensive strength and diplomatic experience. They are
beginners playing at geopolitics.
Honestly speaking, Chinese people are not occupied by India. New
Delhi is not Beijing's major trading partner, and, despite border
disputes, is not an imminent security threat to us
Chinese."<END QUOTE>
It actually is somewhat surprising that all ten ASEAN country leaders
were willing to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. Cambodia
and Laos are very close partners with China, and one can imagine that
they asked China's permission before attending. Other ASEAN countries
have varying relations with China and India, but in most cases China
is a more important trading partner.
Vietnam seems to be the ASEAN country forging the closest links to
India, not only economically, but confronting China in the South China
Sea. The Diplomat and Times of India (24-Jan) and Straits Times (Singapore, 26-Jan) and Global Times (China) and East-West Center (13-Feb)
Related Articles
- As other Asian nations back down, India and Vietnam become allies confronting China (01-Sep-2017)
- Vietnam buys cruise missiles from Russia to threaten China (02-May-2015)
- Indonesia defies China and renames part of the South China Sea (18-Jul-2017)
- China's military strength and poor civilian control alarm neighbors (24-Nov-2014)
- Vietnam, Philippines unite to confront China in South China Sea (26-Mar-2014)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, India, Narendra Modi, Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang,
China, South China Sea, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, ONGC,
Look East, Act East, Cambodia, Laos, Republic Day, Singapore,
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
