Can China Be Tamed Through Economics?

Article in DRI Asia Review on 30July 2021: Can China Be Tamed Through Economics?

Despite all the talk of China-U.S. economic decoupling and premonition (and hyperventilation) about a new Cold War in the making, it is business as usual when it comes to trade between the two countries. On July 22, Bloomberg reported that despite Donald Trump’s tariffs designed to temper Chinese exports to the United States and reduce his country’s trade deficit with China, bilateral trade has bounced back to a new record. Noting this development, the news outlet wrote: “Eighteen months after the Trump administration signed the phase-one trade deal [in January 2020], the agreement has turned out to be a truce at best. The US trade deficit has not shrunk, most levies are still in place, and it has not led to negotiations over other economic issues.” Read the full article at https://thediplomat.com/ads/dri-asia-review/2021-07-30/index.html

Dec 2020-Jan 2021 Issue of EJSSS

We are happy to announce that the Dec 2020-Jan 2021 Issue of Electronic Journal of Social and Strategic Studies (EJSSS) with 06 papers on IR, Strategic Studies, Psychology and Edn & Trg, and 03 Book Reviews on IR/Education is online. We are an Open Access, refereed journal committed to promote interdisciplinary research in Social Sciences/Strategic Studies. We are also a member journal of CROSSREF. Our application for ISSN is in process.

Visit us at www.ejsss.net.in

We specifically aspire to encourage young and emerging scholars to publish their research and publication. We firmly believe that a knowledge driven society is the only hope for a promising and sustainable future that all of us hope for.
The contents of our Issue are as below:

CONTENTS

 

Articles

 

1. China and the West: Contestations in African Development and Security                       122-150

    Dr Napoleon Kurantin and Prof. Bertha Z. Osei-Hwedie

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1201

 

2. Criminal Justice Responses and Fear of Crime in the Era of COVID-19                        151-166

    Chyna N. Crawford, PhD

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1202

 

3. Multilateralism, Multipolarity and ASEAN: A Re-Appraisal                                             167-186

    Prof. Y Yagama Reddy

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1203

 

4. Procedure Established by Law, Right to Privacy                                                              187-214

    and Investigative Powers of State: An Appraisal

    Dr Rajamanickam Srinivasan

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1204

 

5. US and India: Paving the road to ensuring peace and prosperity                                   215-237

    in the Indo-Pacific region                                                                                                 

    Udita Banerjee

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1205

 

6. South China Sea: Perspectives, Challenges and India’s Options                                     238-263

    Commodore SL Deshmukh, NM (Retd)

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1206

 

Book Reviews

 

7. Digital Media and the Politics of Transformation in the Arab World and Asia              264-265

    by Carola Richter et. al. (2018)

    Dr Cserkits Michael

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1207

 

8. The Science of Agriculture: A Biological Approach (5th Ed.)                                         266-268

    by Dr. Ray V. Herren

    Dr. Wandra Arrington

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1208

 

9. Just Research in Contentious Times: Widening the Methodological Imagination          269-272

    by Michelle Fine

    Katherine Baker Johnson

    https://doi.org/10.47362/EJSSS.2020.1209

Pawns in a Board Game: Prisoners of War

 Dr R Srinivasan

 

India returns Chinese soldier

On 18 October 2020, Corporal Wang Ya Long of the Chinese PLA strayed across the LAC in Demchok sector and was apprehended by Indian Army. Army sources confirmed the apprehension and also issued a statement that he would be released after completing specified formalities[i]. Forty eight hours later, Corporal Wang Ya Long was handed over to PLA front line troops at Chushul-Moldo meeting point, which was corroborated by Chinese media in their press releases[ii].

Though the above incident did not cause any stir in public minds, not to say scholarly discussions, it is an important of dimension to be looked at in the light of Sino-Indian skirmish at Galwan in May this year. The board game of chess that commenced at that time remains in spotlight what with both the countries moving their pawns in manners that are testing each other’s will.

India and China are both signatories to the Geneva Conventions 1949. While India ratified the Conventions in 1950, China ratified them in 1956[iii]. Under Article 118, first paragraph, of the 1949 Geneva Convention III (GC III): “Prisoners of war shall be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities.” Being signatories to the Convention, both India and China have an International legal obligation to repatriate PsOW, should and whenever conflicts between the countries occur. Interestingly, GC III applies only in conflicts that are declared as war.

Technically speaking, a soldier in uniform (with or without weapons) straying into another country is deemed as a mercenary and is liable for criminal prosecution in the country where he is apprehended. Should that person be not in uniform, he is deemed as a spy and is likely to be prosecuted accordingly. Both these conditions could apply in situations where armed conflicts not declared as war by respective countries prevail. ICRC and the larger international community of scholars have always advocated fair treatment and return of soldiers even under these circumstances, though such opinions are at best looked upon as humanitarian appeals rather than mandates of GC III.

China and Indian PsOW

Immediately after the 1962 Sino-Indian operations, the Indian Red Cross handed over a list of 3968 names of Indian soldiers as having been would, killed or captured to the Chinese Red Cross. China refuted the claims and delayed its responses till 1963. After an intensive diplomatic and international intervention, courtesy Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and Maj Gen CK Lakshmanan, China accepted that it held 1132 POW and had returned 715 wounded earlier with 13 dead bodies. On January 25, 1963, the ICRC's executive director wrote to General Lakshmanan to draw the IRC's attention to the announcements of the China News Agency that 2,156, (or 3,350) Indian POWs were still in Chinese hands.

On 6^th February 1963, President ICRC himself took up the matter with Marshal Chen Yi, the then Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs. Marshal Chen intimated ICRC two weeks later that “Since the Sino-Indian border clashes, the Chinese government has all along given good treatment in every respect to the Indian military personnel who were captured in the course of their attacks on the Chinese frontier guards.”[iv] China maintained that it was Indian troops that had attacked ‘unsuspecting’ border guards of the Chinese Army in Tibet and Sinkiang!!

Importantly, as Claude Arpi noted in his report, China found it “most regrettable that the India PoWs 'captured in the course of the Chinese frontier guards's counterattacks in self-defence' were equated with the 'law-abiding overseas Chinese illegally detained by the Indian authorities.' On 27^th February 1963, the ICRC confirmed to General Lakshmanan that the total number of Indian prisoners of war still in Chinese hands was 3,319, excluding the 716 wounded and sick who have been repatriated and the 13 bodies returned by the Chinese Red Cross.” [v] From 1963 onwards, China announced that it will release PsOW in batches. As of now, there does not appear to be any clear document or report by either governments whether all PsOW have been repatriated. Such an action by Chinese took nearly eighteen months after considerable international pressure.

India and PsOW

India’s actions to repatriate 93000 Pakistani soldiers who surrendered at Dacca after 1971 Indo-Pak war stands testimony to the commitment to International Law and Humanitarian Principles that India stands by. Repatriating Wang Ya Long now reiterates India’s position on such issues.

In contrast, during 1962, the Chinese had even pointed out that there was no ‘Declaration of War’ between India and China. They used this line of international legal logic to deny ICRC the right to visit China and inspect their internment facilities. Initiatives taken by President ICRC, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur as President of Indian Red Cross and Maj Gen Lakshmanan eventually melted down their cold denial.

Conclusion

Clauswitz famously said, “War is not an independent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by different means”[vi]. While the common perception is politics sans morality, war is not fought on barbaric terms. The soldiers partaking in war are merely executing the will of the polity. They have neither personal enmity nor do they entertain culturally induced hatred. Therefore, a polity when it chooses to defy international norms such as laid down in Geneva Conventions, indulges in acts that humanity has always held as abhorrent.

India’s action to return Wang stands as a testimony to the nation’s vibrant culture that upholds non-violence and forgiveness as core principles even in international relations where geopolitical compulsions give rise to temptations and vanity resulting in irresponsible acts by political actors.

Acknowledgement: This article was earlier published by the author on Defence Research and Studies website at https://dras.in/pawns-in-a-board-game-prisoners-of-war/ on 24 Oct 2020.

---

[i] Spl Corr. (2020, October 19). Army apprehends Chinese soldier in Demchok sector—The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/army-apprehends-chinese-soldier-in-demchok-sector/article32892047.ece

[ii] Krishnan, A., & Peri, D. (2020, October 21). India hands over Chinese soldier who crossed LAC. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-hands-over-chinese-soldier-who-crossed-lac/article32906023.ece

[iii] ICRC. (n.d.). Treaties, States parties, and Commentaries—China. Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/vwTreatiesByCountrySelected.xsp?xp_countrySelected=CN

[iv] Arpi, C. (2019, December 6). Exclusive! How China released Indian troops after the 1962 War—Rediff.com India News. https://www.rediff.com/news/special/how-china-released-indian-troops-after-the-1962-war/20191206.htm

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Clausewitz: War as Politics by other Means—Online Library of Liberty. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://oll.libertyfund.org/pages/clausewitz-war-as-politics-by-other-means

 

Webinar on Changing Dynamics of International Order & India's Foreign Policy Choices, Challenges and Options: 31 Oct 2020

The recording of the webinar on India's Foreign Policy hosted by EJSSS and BITS Pilani Goa Campus jointly on 31 Oct 2020 is uploaded in YouTube for the benefit of research and scholarly community.

Personally, it was a great learning experience for me. Amb Raghavan is DG ICWA, and he set the tone for discussions in a comprehensive (yet concise) manner outlining the whole gamut. Specially, he emphasised on Maritime dimension.

Amb Fabian was the hero of evacuation of Indians from Kwait during Iraq War 1990. He personally met and extracted a promise from Saddam Hussein for the safety of Indians and Air India crew who flew them out. 

Prof Roger Liu's analysis of Sino-Indian situation and role Taiwan can play is enlightening.

Amb Thomasz of Poland eloquently talked about strengthening Indo-EU ties. 

Amb Viswanathan's case and examples of growing Indo-Latin America ties are revelations.

Prof Shivkumar's case for integrating Area Studies Program into policy planning structure is thought provoking.

Dr Sumit Seth, Director PPR, MEA, succinctly explained how MEA goes about Foreign policy keeping national interests at heart. This part is a must for IR students!

Please circulate among the student and research community that you are associated with. The Link address is:

https://youtu.be/y2XFSWdi-TU

Understanding the Evolution of India's Foreign Policy: Pragmatic Purpose to Polemic Principle

Dr Dattesh D. Parulekar delivered a lecture on Tedx on the topic "Understanding the Evolution of India's Foreign Policy: Pragmatic Purpose to Polemic Principle".

Dr Parulekar is an Assistant Professor of International Relations & Strategic Studies at the Department of IR, School of International and Area Studies, Goa University. He specializes in India's Foreign Policy & Diplomacy, Chinese Political Economy, Sino Indian Affairs in the Indo Pacific, African Affairs and Political Economy of Latin America.

The link to his talk is given below:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NGyeXI5InL60PqcxdX1zl5iZzEjwBLy1/view?usp=sharing