China Connect

Decoding Hague tribunal’s award on South China Sea

July 29, 2016July 29, 2016 - by India Writes Network

In the immediate aftermath of the arbitration award, all sides are trying to calm the situation which, however, remains combustible with, potentially, disastrous consequences. The attention is to analyse each and every word of the principal protagonists to parse the intentions behind them. Apart from the involvement of the Coast Guards in support of the respective fishing boats which is a daily occurrence, several key countries have been exploring – and, eventually exploiting – hydrocarbon reserves within the NDL area. Militarisation of the existing infrastructure in the Spratlys and the Paracels, especially on the part of the Chinese, can completely alter the existing balance of power in the region.

South China Sea ruling: India asks China to show ‘utmost respect’ for verdict

July 13, 2016July 13, 2016 - by Shweta Aggarwal

The ruling by an international tribunal rejecting China’s “historic rights” to islands in South China Sea has prompted New Delhi to renew its call for resolving maritime disputes through peaceful means, sans use of military force.
In response, China has asserted that it too wants to resolve the dispute by “fully complying” with the international law.
The verdict is seen in India as a vindication of India’s long-standing position on freedom of navigation and resolution of maritime disputes through UNCLOS. “The court has upheld India’s position on freedom of navigation. The ruling will benefit India economically as well as strategically,” Srikanth Kondapalli, an influential China-expert at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told India Writes Network.

South China Sea ruling: China rejects third party intervention

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016 - by India Writes Network

Unfazed by the ruling of an international tribunal rejecting China’s historic claims to South China Sea’s resources, China has repudiated the role of any third party in resolving such disputes. …

South China Sea row: China rejects arbitration court ruling

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016 - by India Writes Network

Amid global spotlight, an international tribunal has ruled that China’s claims to the South China Sea have no historical or legal basis and censured Beijing for violating sovereign rights of the Philippines.
The case was initiated by the Philippines in 2013 over China’s territorial claims and building of reefs and islands in the region. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands has ruled that any historic rights to resources that China may have had were invalid if they are incompatible with exclusive economic zones established under a UN treaty.
Beijing, which was anticipating a negative verdict, promptly rejected the ruling and rubbished it as a “null and void.”
China “solemnly declares that the award is null and void and has no binding force. China neither accepts nor recognizes it,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

Building new engines of economic growth, the Chinese way: Premier Li Keqiang

July 3, 2016 - by India Writes Network

This is the tenth Annual Meeting of the New Champions, or the Summer Davos, as it is known. There is a Chinese saying which goes, “It takes ten years to …

India’s NSG Bid – The Way Forward

June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 - by India Writes Network

The Seoul meeting concluded with members declaring their “firm support for the full, complete and effective implementation of the NPT as the cornerstone of the international non-proliferation regime” [emphasis added]. The phrase “effective implementation’’ was introduced by some Western countries to provide an entry to India by ensuring that compliance with NPT obligations will be a significant consideration and not only signature of the NPT. Developments in Seoul are a temporary setback. They are not a disaster. With its unblemished and impeccable record, India can hope to enter the portals of the NSG during this year or soon thereafter.