In 2014, Beijing continued with its aggressive,
monolithic ways to gain regional dominance.
And though the Chinese economy is
still going strong, a relative slow-down can be seen. In 2015 though, we may see the coming along of a change in the way China views its neighbors, writes NK Singh.
Beijing has started to become increasingly aware that its unyielding stand on border issues has led to a state of tension in the region. Incursions into what India considers its side of the Line of Actual Control have spiraled up. The Chinese army has also led confrontations along the border when its leaders were due to visit India.
There has been a drumbeat of face-offs with Japan over Senkaku/Diayou Islands. China has already gone wading into Japanese airspace, demanding that Beijing be looped on all flights flying over the region.
It has also grown its influence in the South China Sea by issuing fishing permits in what it claims to be its own EEZ and in the process they chased away the Philippines from the area. These developments paved the way for the US to reinforce itself in the region, causing extended confrontations between the US and China.
That has prompted the Chinese to revisit and mellow down their foreign policies to appear less prickly and yet strongly infused with Chinese aspirations. The country's political structure is weary of being cordoned off by adversaries and that will give China and the monochromatic approach it deploys towards diplomatic ties enough grounds for being revisited.
That China is actually doing that could already be seen. At the APEC summit, Xi Jinping did what not many expected of him—meeting Shinzo Abe to settle on a four point agenda aimed at reviving the relationship between China and Japan and reducing the escalating regional tension.
Alongside that, China also entered two crucial agreements on military engagement with the US that involves both nations to be in the know of each other's military activities and lay down terms engagement in the sea or air.
Lately, China and its BRICS allies set up the National Development Bank headquartered in Shanghai. And at the APEC summit, Xi put out an important note stating China's outbound investment would hit over one trillion US dollars over the next ten years, and its imports in the next five years would hit ten trillion dollars while 500 million Chinese tourists would go abroad.
By Sumit S Singh
monolithic ways to gain regional dominance.
And though the Chinese economy is
still going strong, a relative slow-down can be seen. In 2015 though, we may see the coming along of a change in the way China views its neighbors, writes NK Singh.
Beijing has started to become increasingly aware that its unyielding stand on border issues has led to a state of tension in the region. Incursions into what India considers its side of the Line of Actual Control have spiraled up. The Chinese army has also led confrontations along the border when its leaders were due to visit India.
There has been a drumbeat of face-offs with Japan over Senkaku/Diayou Islands. China has already gone wading into Japanese airspace, demanding that Beijing be looped on all flights flying over the region.
It has also grown its influence in the South China Sea by issuing fishing permits in what it claims to be its own EEZ and in the process they chased away the Philippines from the area. These developments paved the way for the US to reinforce itself in the region, causing extended confrontations between the US and China.
That has prompted the Chinese to revisit and mellow down their foreign policies to appear less prickly and yet strongly infused with Chinese aspirations. The country's political structure is weary of being cordoned off by adversaries and that will give China and the monochromatic approach it deploys towards diplomatic ties enough grounds for being revisited.
That China is actually doing that could already be seen. At the APEC summit, Xi Jinping did what not many expected of him—meeting Shinzo Abe to settle on a four point agenda aimed at reviving the relationship between China and Japan and reducing the escalating regional tension.
Alongside that, China also entered two crucial agreements on military engagement with the US that involves both nations to be in the know of each other's military activities and lay down terms engagement in the sea or air.
Lately, China and its BRICS allies set up the National Development Bank headquartered in Shanghai. And at the APEC summit, Xi put out an important note stating China's outbound investment would hit over one trillion US dollars over the next ten years, and its imports in the next five years would hit ten trillion dollars while 500 million Chinese tourists would go abroad.
By Sumit S Singh
