South Asia and China Engagement in the Twenty-First Century

This book brings together new perspectives on China’s engagement with South Asian countries. It examines emerging trends in the ties between China and South Asia in the geo-political, geo-strategic and geo-economics context and looks at opportunities for collaboration and connectivity between them. Drawing on extensive case studies, this volume discusses issues such as China’s overarching Belt Road Initiative (BRI), regional responses and alternatives to BRI, the new politico-economic drivers in the region, India’s China puzzle, the Wuhan informal summit, Nepal and its security dilemma in the region and China’s role in peace and stability in Afghanistan. It presents analysis, debates and the way forward for a comprehensive South Asian regional understanding in the wake of the advancing Chinese presence in South Asia. An important contribution in the study of the developing pan China–South Asia vision, this book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of international relations, Chinese studies, Asian studies, defence and strategic studies, regional cooperation, foreign policy, geopolitics, comparative politics and political studies.

Introduction Part I: South Asia and China: Opportunities 1.China and South Asia: New Drivers 2. China and South Asia: Future Scenario Part II: South Asia and China: Connectivity 3. BRI, Neo-Tribute System and International Financial Assistance:Perspectives for South Asia 4.China’s Overarching BRI vis-à-vis India’s Predicament 5.BRI: Regional Responses and Alternatives 6. BRI and BBIN: Asian Economic Growth Engines Part III: South Asian Countries and China 7. India and China in South Asia: Towards Trans-regional Politics 8. India–China Trade Linkages in the Context of Emerging Uncertain World Trading Environment 9. China’s Regional Role: Should India be Worried 10. Indian Media’s Perception of China: A Montage of National and Regional Dailies 11. Pearl in the String: Sri Lanka-China Relations in theTwenty-firstCentury 12. China’s Deepening Engagement with Bangladesh 13. China's Engagement and Managing Security Dilemma in South Asia: A Nepali Perspective 14.The Dragon’s Embrace: The Contours of China–Pakistan Strategic Relations 15. Peace and Stability in Afghanistan: China’s Role

Adluri Subramanyam Rajuis Dean of International Relations, Professor and former Head of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute of South Asia Regional Cooperation (UMISARC) and Centre for South Asian Studies and coordinator of the UGC Centre for Maritime Studies, Pondicherry University, India. He is the recipient of theMahbub Ul Haq Award(Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS, Colombo, Sri Lanka), theScholar of Peace Award(WISCOMP, New Delhi, 2002) and theKodikara Award(RCSS, Colombo, 1998). He was also a Salzburg Seminar Fellow (2006). He received the National Best Teacher Award (C.V.S. Krishnamurthy Theja Charities, Tirupati, 2017) and Best Teacher Award twice (Pondicherry University, 2013 and 2018). He is a memberof the Third Task Force on Blue Economy, FICCI, New Delhi, India. He was previously a visiting fellow at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka. He has published 22 books and seven books are forthcoming.