Tag: South China Sea

President Lai Ching-te’s Triumph: A Dual Impact on Taiwan’s Economy and Regional Geopolitics
Asia, Featured, World

President Lai Ching-te’s Triumph: A Dual Impact on Taiwan’s Economy and Regional Geopolitics

President Lai Ching-te's victory holds immense significance for Taiwan, both economically and geopolitically. Navigating economic challenges, reducing reliance on a single market, and strategically engaging with global partners are pivotal for Taiwan's economic resurgence. Simultaneously, Lai's approach to cross-Strait relations and collaboration with the United States will shape the geopolitical landscape in the Asia-Pacific Region. Lai Ching-te, the ruling-party candidate, secured a win in Taiwan's presidential election. His opponents gracefully conceded after a closely contested three-way race, setting the course for the island's relations with China in the coming four years. The outcome carries significant implications for the peace and stability of the narrow str...
China’s Power Play In the Garb of Economics: Xi Jinping’s Hanoi Sojourn and Vietnam’s Global Balancing Act
Asia, Featured, World

China’s Power Play In the Garb of Economics: Xi Jinping’s Hanoi Sojourn and Vietnam’s Global Balancing Act

Though economic cooperation was the focal point, Xi aimed to align Hanoi with China's foreign policy vision, emphasizing a "global community of shared future." Vietnam, despite its "four nos" defence policy, seeks reassurances from Beijing regarding military ambitions, particularly in the South China Sea. The visit underscores the challenges and opportunities for Vietnam as it balances its relationships with major powers amid regional security concerns. Chinese leader Xi Jinping completed his two-day visit to Hanoi, focusing on enhancing ties with Communist counterparts. The visit aimed to strengthen economic cooperation, particularly by investing in crucial railway lines that are vital for Vietnam's exports, providing a boost to its post-pandemic growth. Xi's visit oc...
China’s Expansionist Manoeuvres in the South China Sea: Implications for Neighboring Countries
Asia, Featured, World

China’s Expansionist Manoeuvres in the South China Sea: Implications for Neighboring Countries

Manila has repeatedly accused Beijing of obstructing its shipping vessels in and around the Scarborough Shoal, a triangular reef encompassing a resource-rich lagoon that China seized from the Philippines in 2012.The aggressive actions by the Chinese Coast Guard on a smaller Filipino Navy are indicative of a pattern of intimidation and coercion by Beijing in the South China Sea. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has taken a more assertive stance in highlighting China's actions of swarming and intimidating Philippine fishing and coast guard vessels. China has disputes with other nations like Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei in the South China Sea over maritime boundaries, forced incursions and interference in oil and gas operations by the Chinese Coast Guard and navy. In recent times, ther...
Dragon’s Territorial Chicanery: Time to Checkmate China at its Own Game?
Analysis, Asia, Featured, World

Dragon’s Territorial Chicanery: Time to Checkmate China at its Own Game?

While India lodged a strong protest against China's claims, Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Taiwan have expressed strong objections to China's new map. UN tribunal had already invalidated China's earlier claims, deeming them without merit in international law. India must strongly protest against international organizations, such as the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum, that perpetuate inaccurate maps of India. Business-as-usual approaches in such circumstances should not be tolerated. India should proactively employ social media platforms to counter and promote its cartographic perspectives in a measured manner, in collaboration with cartographic scholars, security experts, and social media content curators. A storm of controversy has swept across the South Chin...
Is China Preparing for War?
Asia, Featured, World

Is China Preparing for War?

Xi Jinping's declaring the US as its adversary, calling on private businesses to serve China’s military and strategic aims and talking of re-unification of Taiwan, hint at China preparing for war. New law to activate reserved forces, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law for the Military during wartime, the Opening up of military recruitment centres across the country, upgrading air-raid shelters and emergency hospitals, and a huge increase in its defence budget - all indicate China's preparation for war. Chinese President Xi Jinping wove the theme of war readiness through four separate speeches that he delivered at the annual meeting of the Chinese Parliament and its top political advisory body that was held in March 2023. Out of these four speeches, one was delivered to the de...
The Malacca Dilemma – Prospects and Concerns for the Geopolitics of Asian Waters
Analysis, Asia, Featured, World

The Malacca Dilemma – Prospects and Concerns for the Geopolitics of Asian Waters

More than 30 per cent of the world’s seaborne trade passes through the Malacca Strait with China, Japan, and South Korea reliant on this strategic waterway for their supplies, especially energy.Beijing is seeking alternative routes to reduce its dependence on the waterway to ensure a more viable long-term energy security policy.China’s Strategic influence in the Indo pacific region is bearing severe economic consequences and instability within the countries.India needs to recalibrate its strategy with regard to Malacca Strait and increase its naval presence in the region.Building proactive formal frameworks toward initiating greater institutional dialogue with the adversaries must be initiated at the earliest. While China is actively seeking to diversify energy routes to reduce its...
India underlines Code of Conduct in the South China should not prejudice the legitimate interests of third parties
Asia, Featured

India underlines Code of Conduct in the South China should not prejudice the legitimate interests of third parties

Secretary (East) Riva Ganguly Das underlined India's interest in maintaining peace and stability, freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in keeping with international law at the East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting (EAS SOM) on 24 June 2021. The meeting which was held in the virtual format was chaired by Permanent Secretary of Brunei Darussalam H.E. Ms. Emaleen Abdul Rahman Teo, and saw the participation of Senior Officials from 18 EAS countries. The Meeting discussed ways and means to strengthen the Leaders-led EAS platform and to make it more effective and responsive in the face of emerging challenges. The Senior Officials exchanged views on the current regional and international developments including the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-pandemic recover...
China’s new Coastguard law – An open call for war with neighbors?
Analysis, Asia, World

China’s new Coastguard law – An open call for war with neighbors?

China's newly-enacted Coast Guard Law allows the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG)   to “take all necessary measures, including the use of weapons, when national sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction are being illegally infringed upon by foreign organizations or individuals at sea." The new law also empowers the CCG to halt construction or destroy foreign structures on Chinese-claimed land features, like those on the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island and Second Thomas Shoal.  Several Asian countries including Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia have opposed China's law saying it could escalate maritime disputes and be invoked to assert “unlawful claims''.  The Philippines has filed a formal rejection of the law, emphasizing that, given the large area involved and China’s ...
India, Vietnam reaffirm commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region; Ties in defence and counter-terrorism to be enhanced
Asia, Featured, National

India, Vietnam reaffirm commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region; Ties in defence and counter-terrorism to be enhanced

Summary: The recent virtual summit between India and Vietnam showcased the growing ties between the two countries as they set forth a Joint Vision for Peace, Prosperity and People to guide the future development of India - Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Furthering their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the two nations agreed to step up regular high-level and institutionalized exchanges in defence, security, and counter-terrorism while building upon the foundations of deep-rooted historical, cultural bonds, shared values and interests. Mutual collaboration on trade, investment and technologies along with enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges have been planned in the days ahead. The two countries also signed a number of MOUs in Defence, Nuclear & Cle...
Japan to counter China’s growing military power, sets record $52 billion military budget with stealth jets, long-range missiles
Asia, Defence & Security, Featured, World

Japan to counter China’s growing military power, sets record $52 billion military budget with stealth jets, long-range missiles

Summary: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government approved a ninth consecutive rise in military spending on Monday, funding the development of an advanced stealth fighter and longer-range anti-ship missile to counter China's growing military power. Japan is also a close ally of India and both are members of the QUAD, The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. Indian External Affairs Minister has termed Japan as among the most trusted partners of India. The relationship between the two countries are growing in all spheres, especially industry, business and technology. The Ministry of Defense will get a record 5.34 trillion yen ($51.7 billion) for the year starting in April, up 1.1% from this year. With Suga's large majority in parliament, enactment of the budget is all but c...