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Southeast Asia To Benefit From India-China Rivalry
April 17, 2002
Summary
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee ended a visit to Cambodia April 11 to promote India's "Look East" policy, which New Delhi has recently accelerated in part to respond to Chinese economic and political gains in Southeast Asia. As competition between Beijing and New Delhi heats up, Southeast Asian nations are in a prime position to exploit the rivalry to gain infrastructure, economic and technology assistance.
Analysis
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee ended a three-day visit to Cambodia April 11, the first trip to the country by an Indian prime minister since 1954. During the visit, New Delhi and Phnom Penh agreed on diplomatic visa exemptions, cooperating in renovating the Angkor Wat temple complex and establishing direct air links. Vajpayee also offered to assist Cambodia with trials of former Khmer Rouge leaders.
The prime minister's visit, which followed a stop in Singapore to discuss economic cooperation, comes amid a broader diplomatic push to promote India's "Look East" policy, which targets greater economic and political cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). India is not alone in seeking Southeast Asia's ear -- China is also actively engaging the region -- and negotiations are currently underway to create a Chinese-ASEAN free trade area. As competition between Beijing and New Delhi increases, Southeast Asian nations may stand to benefit by exploiting the rivalry.
China and India both view the Southeast Asian region as a vital source of natural resources and a market for their goods. Beyond the economic factor, the two countries also view the region as part of their spheres of influence, and vital to their own national security. With the United States preoccupied with the war against terrorism, Beijing and New Delhi are trying to gain influence in an area that is just now starting to recover from the 1997 Asian economic crisis.
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Dan
Southeast Asia To Benefit From India-China Rivalry . . .