Ambassador (retd.) Kishan S Rana, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
Ability to attract and retain high quality, globally mobile talent is one of the attributes of internationalization, in an interconnected world. This is the theme of an article in China Daily, carried in an issue dated 13 May 2016. This publication is an official Chinese mouthpiece and will not carry anything critical of that country; with that caveat, the issue merits attention.
Ambassador (retd.) Kishan S Rana, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
Today’s newspapers carry a remarkable news item. In 2015, China’s total overseas direct investment (ODI) was $106.8 billion. In less than six months of 2016, this was overtaken with a total of $110.8 billion, making the country the world’s biggest ODI investor, ahead of the US.
Atul Bhardwaj, Adjunct Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
Last week, the Indian Navy bid adieu to the British-built Sea Harrier. The lone Subsonic-Sea Harrier flew among the newly inducted supersonic fighters, MiG 29k to mark the ceremony at Goa. The 1970s vintage machine was de-inducted from the Royal Navy in the year 2006 after serving for good twenty-six years. The Indian Navy had refurbished the aircraft, in 2009, to add another few years to its life. For almost three decades the Harriers were a pride of the Indian Navy flying from aircraft carriers.
Continue reading “When the British Tried Selling Harrier to China in 1970s”
Asma Masood is a Research Officer with the Chennai Centre for China Studies. This article is based on interactions with Chinese government officials and think-tankers during a visit to China as part of a delegation organized by the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi from 21-29 April 2016.
“Don’t worry,” an Indian lady friend from Shanghai advised before my China visit. “This is Ram Rajya. You will be safe.” These words were reassuring, but I felt a smidgen of doubt. After all, living in India as a woman, one becomes accustomed to keep glancing over one’s shoulder.
Jabin T. Jacob, Assistant Director and Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
The Chinese government might not be able to play a prominent role in Nepal for now, given both Indian dominance and sensitivities. However, China appears to be using its provinces such as Tibet, Yunnan and Sichuan to exercise influence in a different, apparently less threatening way.
Continue reading “Chinese Provinces and Nepal: The Case of Tibet Autonomous Region”
Ambassador (retd.) Kishan S Rana, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
*This text has been amended on the basis of a comment sent in very kindly by a reader.
By a quirk of geography, China is virtually not a river water lower riparian to any country. Thanks to the abundance of rivers that originate in its territory, especially the Himalayan plateau, it is an upper riparian in relation to many of Asia’s great trans-border river systems, including the Brahmaputra and the Mekong. In the North-East of the country, it does have the Amur river as the boundary with Russia, but not the status of a lower riparian.
Continue reading “China and River Water Arrangements with Neighbors*”
Ambassador (retd.) Kishan S Rana, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
Gathering material for this piece, I was struck by the fact that few in India appear to study this subject; I could not locate material written on this subject, though it must exist. What is missed out is analysis of a key ingredient in China’s development process, namely the skilling of technicians and shop-floor level workers. The quality of this input has had great impact on productivity in China. This has enormous direct relevance for India. [This article is a preliminary version; criticism and corrections are welcome.]
Continue reading “China’s School Education System: Possible Relevance for India”
Ambassador (retd.) Kishan S Rana, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
The Economist (19 March 2016) estimates that the global total of university students that go to foreign countries for studies is about 3.5 million, and estimates that the number may rise to 7 or 8 million by 2025. It also calculates the number of US students in foreign countries at 300,000, which could go up to 600,000 by 2020. China and India are two other major contributors to this form of ‘export’ of education services. China currently has about 500,000 that study in foreign countries, while India has sent out more than 300,000.
Continue reading “Attracting International University Students: India & China”
M.V. Rappai, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
Within a short span of ten days Chinese President and Chairman of Central Military Commission (CMC), Xi Jinping met with key members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and exhorted them to adopt innovation and ‘jointness’. On 23 March 2016, Xi paid his first formal visit as the Party Secretary and Commander in Chief to the National Defence University, premier training institute of PLA. During his visit Xi wanted the NDU to “overhaul its courses and teaching methods, gearing them to foster officers who can command joint operations”. Earlier Xi Jinping met with all the representatives of PLA attending the annual National People’s Congress session on 13 March 2016. During his talks with them Xi wanted, innovation should be given a key position in China’s military development and “urged the armed forces to turn cutting edge technology into real combat capacity.” He further added that, “innovation is the core competitiveness of the military and number one driver to energize growth, and added that China is in urgent need of innovation driven development.”
Continue reading “Xi calls for Innovation and ‘Jointness’ in PLA”
Ambassador (retd.) Kishan S Rana, Honorary Fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies.
China’s decision to permit all families to have two children, announced on 29 October 2015, was long in coming. It was preceded by a concession earlier in that year, allowing those parents that were single children themselves to opt for a second child, after permission. The simple rationale behind all this has been a precipitous fall in the total fertility rate (TFR) (i.e. the average number of children per woman in her lifetime); this is now at 1.55, i.e. significantly below the ‘replacement rate’ of 2.1, which is what is needed for a stable population. This has several implications and consequences.[1]