IAS Mains General Studies Sample Answers

From the historical times India and China have major irritants in their relations, related to borders and boundary issue. Disputed border of 1.25000 km2. are there between them. Some boundary issues are also hurdles. Arunanchal Pradesh is claimed by China as its part and China does not recognize Sikkim as Indian Territory, it shows on a website, Sikkim as a separate nation. India does not accept Tibet as a Part of two countries these issues and illegal trades are major irritants.

India and china are neighboring countries but have hostile relations for almost past fifty years. India has a very good rapport with china Hill Nehru and Mao Zedong. After chinese independence in 1949, India was the first country to recognize communist china. But due to political difference over disputes, Dalai Lama issue, Tibet issue Sino-India relation become worst and there was a war in 1962 between India-china. But with the coming of globalization and visit of Premiers of both countries to one another country relation started to be tranqualise. Recently PM Man Mohan Singh visited Beijing in January 2008. A document on ‘’shared visit for 21st century’’ was signed during his visit. Diplomatic relation between India and china remain low but bilateral trade between both has witnessed higher rate of growth and target of # 60 Billion is fixed by year 2010.

China has also got observer status in SAARC. Feasibilities of Regional Trade Agreement between both is being pipelined. The P2P contact, cultural exchange programes, student exchange programmees has increased between both. Recently a joint military exercise was also held. On various forums like East Asian Summit, ASEAN, BRIC and troica of RIC, both countries also engaged each other on WTO and agreement related to Global warming and climate change.

But some issues of concern remains to tackle, such as stand of china on Arunachal Pradesh, military aid by china to India’s neighboring countries for military encirclement of India, Nuclear help to Pakistan by china, Tibet issue, military modernization programmer of china is alleged to tame India. At last, it can be said that both nations should keep engage themselves on Economic lines, so that the trust deficit which is still persisting at diplomatic level can be overcomed in near future. All these progress are testimony to the fact that now a days geo-economics important than geo-politics.

(Asked in IAS Mains - 2002)

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