<p>The fifth China-South Asia Cooperation Forum (CSACF) is being held in China's Kunming in Yunnan province, coinciding with the eighth China-South Asia Expo between July 23-28, 2024. The CSACF is part of a 'minus-India Initiative' that aims to serve China's long-term interests and "grand designs", along with the 'One Belt and One Road (OBOR)' initiative. A similar initiative was proposed by Beijing in 2021, focusing on COVID-19 vaccines and poverty alleviation, which included Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, but excluded India, the Maldives, and Bhutan.</p>

<p>Over the past 10 years, closer ties between China and South Asia have translated into trade volume doubling.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The trade volume between China and South Asian countries reached 197.4 billion USD in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 8.3 per cent, according to sources. Wang Liping, an official with the Ministry of Commerce, stated that China and South Asian countries account for one-fifth of the global economy.</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/setback-to-xi-jinpings-china-bangladesh-pm-sheikh-hasina-cuts-short-beijing-visit-740469">Setback to Xi Jinping's China? Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina cuts short Beijing visit</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>China in the Indian Ocean Region with dichotomy of 'aid'</strong></h2>

<p>In the maritime domain, China is already promoting the ‘China-Indian Ocean Region Forum,’ organised by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). Through this, Beijing is contending for influence in the strategic Indian Ocean region (IOR) with substantial investments in ports and infrastructure in several countries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, there exists a dichotomy in the concept of ‘aid.’ While New Delhi’s assistance is more in terms of grants, lines of credit, and capacity building, Beijing’s ‘aid’ comes with Chinese characteristics, that is, it is always motivated by a desire to gain access to new markets and economic returns.</p>

<p>For instance, in Sri Lanka, the Chinese-built Hambantota maritime port was formally handed over to China on a 99-year lease in late 2017 because the Sri Lankan government could not afford to maintain it. China has increasingly enforced ownership as a condition when the recipient country cannot repay the loans, thereby compromising the country’s sovereignty.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/what-is-neighbourhood-first-sagar-outlook-foreign-policy-frameworks-at-centre-of-modi-30-inauguration-730111">What is Neighbourhood First, SAGAR outlook? Foreign policy frameworks at centre of Modi 3.0 inauguration</a></strong></p>

<p>Some analysts, especially in Africa, argue that many China-funded projects are not particularly beneficial for local people and are merely a way for China to access a country's market and resources.</p>

<p>A 2017 study by AidData recorded that the majority of Chinese foreign aid was not in the form of "traditional aid" — direct grants — but rather intended for commercial projects and loans that were required to be repaid with interest.</p>

<p>The omission of India from the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum has sparked debates about China’s intentions in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). China has maintained a military presence in the IOR with regular deployments of naval warships to the Gulf of Aden since 2008, ostensibly for ‘anti-piracy operations.’ This presence took on a strategic dimension when Beijing opened its first foreign military base in Djibouti in 2017.</p>

<p>China’s growing involvement in the Indian Ocean and India’s exclusion from the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum raise questions about the evolving dynamics of the region and Beijing’s ambitions. In April 2024, China named five seabed features in the Indian Ocean after Chinese musical instruments, bringing the total number of undersea topographies it has named in the region to nine. China’s discomfort with the Indian Ocean being named after India has prompted it to challenge the ‘Indianness’ of the Indian Ocean region.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas | India and China ready for war in the Indian Ocean</strong></p>

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<p>In 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared China a moderately prosperous society (Xiaokang) in all respects, thus claiming to have achieved the first centenary goal of the Chinese Communist Party. For China to further its economic growth, it is essential to have a harmonious neighbourhood and promote its ‘Peaceful Development’ and ‘Win-Win’ model theories.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hence, it is all the more important for Beijing to maintain a ‘peaceful periphery’ that supports its rise.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This includes neutralising any of India’s regional strategies or joint cooperation initiatives, such as the QUAD.</p>

<p>By developing CSACF initiatives, China is cultivating economies bordering India and seeking to reduce India’s influence in these countries. These actions provide valid reasons for India to be concerned.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Chinese engagement in South Asia amid India's 'neighbourhood first' approach</strong></h2>

<p>From Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to junta-ruled Myanmar, Beijing has emerged as a critical partner of the countries in India's neighbourhood.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Most notably, a day before Nepal's former Prime Minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal 'Prachanda' lost his vote of confidence in Kathmandu, his Maoist Centre (MC) approved a railway project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-edges-past-china-over-bangladeshs-teesta-water-management-project-734190">India edges past China over Bangladesh's Teesta water management project</a></strong></p>

<p>These developments highlight the complexities for New Delhi in upholding its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ in the face of China’s engagements in the region through initiatives like CSACF as part of its South Asia strategy.</p>

<p>Given Beijing’s fast-track initiatives in its strategy towards South Asia, coupled with occasional diplomatic opacity from the PRC, India needs to be vigilant and develop a comprehensive counter-strategy to push back against Chinese influence in its neighbourhood.</p>

<p><strong><em>(Disclaimer: The writer's views do not represent those of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;</em></strong></p>


The fifth China-South Asia Cooperation Forum (CSACF) is being held in China's Kunming in Yunnan province, coinciding with the eighth China-South Asia Expo between July 23-28, 2024.

The fifth China-South Asia Cooperation Forum (CSACF) is being held in China's Kunming in Yunnan province, coinciding with the eighth China-South Asia Expo between July 23-28, 2024. The CSACF is part of a 'minus-India Initiative' that aims to serve China's long-term interests and "grand designs", along with the 'One Belt and One Road (OBOR)' initiative. A similar initiative was proposed by Beijing in 2021, focusing on COVID-19 vaccines and poverty alleviation, which included Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, but excluded India, the Maldives, and Bhutan. Over the past 10 years, closer ties between China and South Asia have translated into trade volume doubling. The trade volume between China and South Asian countries reached 197.4 billion USD in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 8.3 per cent, according to sources. Wang Liping, an official with the Ministry of Commerce, stated that China and South Asian countries account for one-fifth of the global economy. Also read | Setback to Xi Jinping's China? Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina cuts short Beijing visit China in the Indian Ocean Region with dichotomy of 'aid' In the maritime domain, China is already promoting the ‘China-Indian Ocean Region Forum,’ organised by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA). Through this, Beijing is contending for influence in the strategic Indian Ocean region (IOR) with substantial investments in ports and infrastructure in several countries. However, there exists a dichotomy in the concept of ‘aid.’ While New Delhi’s assistance is more in terms of grants, lines of credit, and capacity building, Beijing’s ‘aid’ comes with Chinese characteristics, that is, it is always motivated by a desire to gain access to new markets and economic returns. For instance, in Sri Lanka, the Chinese-built Hambantota maritime port was formally handed over to China on a 99-year lease in late 2017 because the Sri Lankan government could not afford to maintain it. China has increasingly enforced ownership as a condition when the recipient country cannot repay the loans, thereby compromising the country’s sovereignty. Also read | What is Neighbourhood First, SAGAR outlook? Foreign policy frameworks at centre of Modi 3.0 inauguration Some analysts, especially in Africa, argue that many China-funded projects are not particularly beneficial for local people and are merely a way for China to access a country's market and resources. A 2017 study by AidData recorded that the majority of Chinese foreign aid was not in the form of "traditional aid" — direct grants — but rather intended for commercial projects and loans that were required to be repaid with interest. The omission of India from the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum has sparked debates about China’s intentions in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). China has maintained a military presence in the IOR with regular deployments of naval warships to the Gulf of Aden since 2008, ostensibly for ‘anti-piracy operations.’ This presence took on a strategic dimension when Beijing opened its first foreign military base in Djibouti in 2017. China’s growing involvement in the Indian Ocean and India’s exclusion from the China-Indian Ocean Region Forum raise questions about the evolving dynamics of the region and Beijing’s ambitions. In April 2024, China named five seabed features in the Indian Ocean after Chinese musical instruments, bringing the total number of undersea topographies it has named in the region to nine. China’s discomfort with the Indian Ocean being named after India has prompted it to challenge the ‘Indianness’ of the Indian Ocean region. Also watch | Gravitas | India and China ready for war in the Indian Ocean × In 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared China a moderately prosperous society (Xiaokang) in all respects, thus claiming to have achieved the first centenary goal of the Chinese Communist Party. For China to further its economic growth, it is essential to have a harmonious neighbourhood and promote its ‘Peaceful Development’ and ‘Win-Win’ model theories. Hence, it is all the more important for Beijing to maintain a ‘peaceful periphery’ that supports its rise. This includes neutralising any of India’s regional strategies or joint cooperation initiatives, such as the QUAD. By developing CSACF initiatives, China is cultivating economies bordering India and seeking to reduce India’s influence in these countries. These actions provide valid reasons for India to be concerned. Chinese engagement in South Asia amid India's 'neighbourhood first' approach From Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to junta-ruled Myanmar, Beijing has emerged as a critical partner of the countries in India's neighbourhood. Most notably, a day before Nepal's former Prime Minister Pushpa Kumar Dahal 'Prachanda' lost his vote of confidence in Kathmandu, his Maoist Centre (MC) approved a railway project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Also read | India edges past China over Bangladesh's Teesta water management project These developments highlight the complexities for New Delhi in upholding its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ in the face of China’s engagements in the region through initiatives like CSACF as part of its South Asia strategy. Given Beijing’s fast-track initiatives in its strategy towards South Asia, coupled with occasional diplomatic opacity from the PRC, India needs to be vigilant and develop a comprehensive counter-strategy to push back against Chinese influence in its neighbourhood. (Disclaimer: The writer's views do not represent those of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

China's South Asia outreach has a 'minus India' angle amid New Delhi's 'Neighbourhood First' push

<p>Chinese leader Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) at the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting on March 15, 2023. The event, with the theme 'Path towards Modernization: The Responsibility of Political Parties,'&nbsp;was aimed at bringing together more than 500 leaders of political parties and political organisations from over 150 countries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Delivering the keynote address, Xi proposed the GCI under which he called for respect for diversity of civilisations. "Countries need to uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilisations, and let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority," said Xi.</p>

<p>He said the current challenges and crises are "intertwined."</p>

<p>"The global economic recovery remains sluggish, the development gap is widening, (the) ecological environment is deteriorating, and the Cold War mentality is lingering," he said, adding that the modernization process "has once again reached a crossroads of history."</p>

<h2><b>GCI China's third global initiative</b></h2>

<p>The&nbsp;Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) marks China's third global initiative, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and&nbsp;the Global Security Initiative (GSI) apart from the mammoth One Belt and One Road (OBOR) Initiative. It immediately succeeds Beijing’s efforts that clinched a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-saudi-arabia-restore-ties-as-china-brokered-deal-outfoxes-west-570766">peace deal</a> between arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia on March 10 2023.</p>

<p>It is worth mentioning two developments: &nbsp;</p>

<p>(1) The political parties' conference was held by the CPC ahead of US President Joe Biden's Second Summit for Democracy, which was co-hosted with the governments of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, and Republic of Zambia between March 29-30, 2023; and</p>

<p>(2) It preceded the proposed visit of Xi Jinping to Moscow for a meeting with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, on March 20, 2023. China, which was not invited to the US-led first summit of democracy in 2021, accused Washington, of using democracy as a 'weapon of mass destruction' to 'stoke divisions and confrontation'.</p>

<p>In countering this, President Xi, in his keynote address, called for leveraging the strength of a new type of party-to-party relations to build a new type of international relations and expand global partnerships by fostering stronger ties with political parties around the world. Xi also stated that the CPC is committed to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with other political parties to pursue just causes together. It is worth noting that the CPC maintains fraternal ties with political parties all over the world, including those in India.</p>

<p>As a precursor to evolving this civilizational link architecture, China and Iran signed a statement in May 2021 to jointly carry out the conservation of cultural heritage. This cultural agreement was seen as part of promoting the OBOR. Subsequently, in February 2023, Beijing and Tehran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote exchanges and cooperation in the field of cultural heritage, which was seen as one of the important achievements of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to China. Both China and Iran are civilisational states.</p>

<p>For President Xi, his trip to Russia was a show of defiance. His success in brokering a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran aimed to demonstrate an alternate model of governance architecture that is independent of the US. With the recent proposal of the GCI, Xi projects China's confidence in leading global affairs through the tercet of GDI, GSI, and GCI.</p>

<p>It is evident that Xi Jinping aims to position himself stronger to pursue his goal of creating an international order that is more friendly to China.</p>

<p>Despite China's skill in mediation and Xi's visit to Moscow to cement a 'no limits partnership,' the 12-point peace proposal in the Russia-Ukraine conflict exposed China's limitations.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH&nbsp;</strong>|&nbsp;<strong>Gravitas: Zelensky 'open' to China's 12 peace proposals</strong></p>

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<p>Nonetheless, the global headlines that portrayed China as the 'peace maker' sent jitters to the US and the US-dominated international system. While the GDI speaks of the concept of 'indivisible security,' and the GSI envisions 'advancing global human goods,' it remains to be seen how prudent the GCI will be. However, with limited details available about the GCI, it can be viewed as being 'less about results' and more about shoring up support for a China-led global order that is independent of the US and Western influence.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Chinese leader Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) at the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting on March 15, 2023.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping proposed the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) at the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting on March 15, 2023. The event, with the theme 'Path towards Modernization: The Responsibility of Political Parties,' was aimed at bringing together more than 500 leaders of political parties and political organisations from over 150 countries. Delivering the keynote address, Xi proposed the GCI under which he called for respect for diversity of civilisations. "Countries need to uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilisations, and let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority," said Xi. He said the current challenges and crises are "intertwined." "The global economic recovery remains sluggish, the development gap is widening, (the) ecological environment is deteriorating, and the Cold War mentality is lingering," he said, adding that the modernization process "has once again reached a crossroads of history." GCI China's third global initiative The Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) marks China's third global initiative, following the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI) apart from the mammoth One Belt and One Road (OBOR) Initiative. It immediately succeeds Beijing’s efforts that clinched a peace deal between arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia on March 10 2023. It is worth mentioning two developments: (1) The political parties' conference was held by the CPC ahead of US President Joe Biden's Second Summit for Democracy, which was co-hosted with the governments of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, and Republic of Zambia between March 29-30, 2023; and (2) It preceded the proposed visit of Xi Jinping to Moscow for a meeting with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, on March 20, 2023. China, which was not invited to the US-led first summit of democracy in 2021, accused Washington, of using democracy as a 'weapon of mass destruction' to 'stoke divisions and confrontation'. In countering this, President Xi, in his keynote address, called for leveraging the strength of a new type of party-to-party relations to build a new type of international relations and expand global partnerships by fostering stronger ties with political parties around the world. Xi also stated that the CPC is committed to strengthening exchanges and cooperation with other political parties to pursue just causes together. It is worth noting that the CPC maintains fraternal ties with political parties all over the world, including those in India. As a precursor to evolving this civilizational link architecture, China and Iran signed a statement in May 2021 to jointly carry out the conservation of cultural heritage. This cultural agreement was seen as part of promoting the OBOR. Subsequently, in February 2023, Beijing and Tehran signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote exchanges and cooperation in the field of cultural heritage, which was seen as one of the important achievements of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's visit to China. Both China and Iran are civilisational states. For President Xi, his trip to Russia was a show of defiance. His success in brokering a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran aimed to demonstrate an alternate model of governance architecture that is independent of the US. With the recent proposal of the GCI, Xi projects China's confidence in leading global affairs through the tercet of GDI, GSI, and GCI. It is evident that Xi Jinping aims to position himself stronger to pursue his goal of creating an international order that is more friendly to China. Despite China's skill in mediation and Xi's visit to Moscow to cement a 'no limits partnership,' the 12-point peace proposal in the Russia-Ukraine conflict exposed China's limitations. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: Zelensky 'open' to China's 12 peace proposals × Nonetheless, the global headlines that portrayed China as the 'peace maker' sent jitters to the US and the US-dominated international system. While the GDI speaks of the concept of 'indivisible security,' and the GSI envisions 'advancing global human goods,' it remains to be seen how prudent the GCI will be. However, with limited details available about the GCI, it can be viewed as being 'less about results' and more about shoring up support for a China-led global order that is independent of the US and Western influence. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

For a Beijing-led world order, China's Xi is ramping up multinational 'party-to-party' relations

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