ORF: What China Wants in South Asia ?
Introduction PEJOURNAL - In his 19th Party Congress speech in October 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that “China will deepen relations with its neighbors in accordance with the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefits, and inclusiveness, and the policy of forging friendship and partnership with its neighbors.”[1] As neighbours of China, South Asian countries—including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—have increasingly come into contact with Beijing in the diplomatic, economic, and security domains. These interactions demonstrate that China is not simply appealing to the better angels of South Asian neighbours. Rather, Beijing has crafted a geostrategic approach…