The Tale of the Dragon and the Elephant: A Review on the Implications of Sino-Indian Border Disputes to Political Order in Asia

Asia is sitting on a tinderbox. Tensions such as involving China already grabbed enough headlines. One of which is the border dispute between this Asian Dragon with India. The formation of strong alliances and conflict escalation is very real. Rising aspirations and growing hunger for resources in a depleted continent that has been inhabited for millennia are leading to tension and instability. International system is maintained with its balanced structure, which is based on power. From the beginning of the colonial period to the height of western imperialism, and throughout the course of former colonies’ national independence, territorial disputes have been a root cause of war and conflict between states. As China shares a border with more countries than any other state, it exists within an extremely complicated geopolitical environment. The continuing border dispute between China and India, for instance, is a puzzle for many. Despite six decades of attempts at resolution, the dispute persists in the face of official bonhomie and booming trade relations between the two rising giants. This paper presents the discourses on Asia’s geopolitics, particularly the Sino-Indian border dispute and multilateral politics in acquiring assorted global resources, forming regional and global identity, and political order and security issues. India and China are playing an increasingly important role in the world economy. A better relationship would boost trade ties, investments and employment in the two countries, and even augment global growth

Chinese-Taiwanese-Southeast Asian Triangular Relations: On Building and Rebuilding Political and Economic Assertiveness in South China Sea

China’s extraordinary economic growth and active diplomacy continue to transform greater East Asia with its sphere of influence extending to the other side of the globe through its robust development aid provisions. Taiwan, despite its political isolation with the admission of China into the United Nations as well as due to the “One China” principle managed to grow its economy as one of Asia’s tigers – a driver that led Taiwan to establish economic and cultural relations with Southeast Asian states in the absence of formal diplomatic relations. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia has seen robust and continued economic growth in the past few decades. Notwithstanding these economic gains, the present geopolitical sphere in this part of the world is becoming tenser than ever. China has been increasingly assertive in its actions in the South China Sea for years now, while Taiwan has also done a fair share of mobilisation in the contested islands. Protests from some ASEAN-member states have escalated, as manifested in their foreign policies. Within this trajectory, this paper looks into the underlying aspects of the triangular relations between China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia

Unveiling ASEAN’s Diplomatic Equilibrium: Assessing Member Nation-States’ Responses to Russia’s Attack on Ukraine amidst the Rivalry between United States and China

Since the beginning of Russia’s attack on Ukraine in 2022, the stance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) towards the crisis has been grounded on one of its core principles as a regional bloc—non-interference, with member nation-states expressing varying levels of concern, neutrality, and implicit condemnation. ASEAN as a supranational institution trying to consolidate power in the region’s security, economy, and diplomacy has attracted the eyes of the global powers, such as the United States (US) and China, as they seek support in resolving the conflict and advancing their own interests. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the backdrop, the Sino-US rivalry has intensified in the region through their strategic attempts in influencing the Southeast Asian (SEA) nation-states’ stance in the on-going crisis. It is on this premise that this paper delves into several key interwoven politico-economic relations and historical ties that justify ASEAN member nation-states’ responses in the crisis by (1) tracing the SEA governments’ immediate responses, (2) comparing proactive measures taken by these governments to pursue decisions that align with their respective interests, (3) examining the bases of SEA states’ actions and public responses, (4) probing into the existing varying interests among SEA governments, and (5) establishing the links between SEA governments’ responses to that of US and China. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of ASEAN’s roles and actions in global politics, specifically in dealing with issues on peace, security, and stability, amidst the intricate geopolitical landscape of the Asia-Pacific region