Repeated Terror Attacks: Reminder of Political System Failure

After a second blast within four months at Delhi High Court's gate in the national capital, the efficiency, alertness, and vigil of the Delhi police have come under question. The earlier blast had taken place near gate number seven. Nobody was killed or injured in it. But this time, the high intensity blast near gate number five where entry passes are issued, proved to be fatal for dozens of people. The fact is that there can neither be an actual estimation of the loss caused by this kind of blast due to security lapse, nor could it be compensated. Still, we cannot avoid questions that blast raises.
Self-Destructive for Entire Country
The link to this incident may also be established with some kind of domestic or international terrorism in the coming days, but is it a mere coincidence that when it is time to take the culprits of terrorist acts which directly challenged the sovereignty and power of the country to their logical end, politics is being played on the issue that is self-destructive for the entire country? Is the weak political leadership of the country responsible for these conditions? The country's domestic policy is already a victim of delusion, but who are they trying to harm by bringing the foreign policy also under its influence, knowingly or unknowingly? With which country among our neighbors -- Pakistan, China, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, are our policies in normal condition? Is all this not becoming the reason for deteriorating situations that are giving a challenge to the domestic front?
The present home minister and external affairs minister could agree that in Bangladesh's context, the consent or discord of any of our states does not have any impact on the foreign policy, but could we ignore Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat in Pakistan's context, or Tamil Nadu with regard to Sri Lanka? These double standards and insistence is not allowing our national political leadership to become strong.
Lesson From Past Experiences
The regret is also that we do not seem to be learning a lesson from our past experiences. Then, why do we expect this kind of lesson from Delhi police, which is nurtured on the game of politics at the center? But there is no hesitation in saying that the blast that took place at the gate of High Court situated within the circle of Delhi's political heart could have perhaps been prevented, had the police learned any lesson from the "big rehearsal of bomb blast" carried out by terrorists in the parking lot of gate number seven of High Court on 25 May. It is unfortunate that the incident was forgotten saying that the bomb was planted to target a particular person.
Police have their limitations in any political system. Our police force is not like London or Scotland Yard police, neither in skills, nor from the viewpoint of resources. Parliament is in session. The entire Delhi remains on "high alert" during this period. Then, how could this blast take place just a few kilometers from the Parliament House? But it would not be right to call it mere carelessness of police or security agencies. In fact, it is a failure of our politically-administered system.

Malaysia-China Trade and Investment International Conference

A two-day Malaysia-China Trade and Investment International Conference will be held from 10-11 September in Kuala Lumpur. The international conference will attract more than 1,000 international business leaders and diplomats from 10 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries, China, India, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East.
The conference is organized by Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC), with the consent of Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia and Economic and Commercial Cousellor's Office of the Embassy of Prople's Republic of China in Malaysia, and also with the support of the World Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations.
New Investment Opportunities
The aim of the conference is to engage the ASEAN countries to promote multi lateral investment and trade, to promote Malaysia-China trade cooperation, and to discuss and explore new investment opportunities and to forge a cooperation platform for the China-ASEAN business enterprises.
Many politicians, top entrepreneurs, experts from China Foreign Affairs University, ASEAN officials and education experts will speak at the forum.
In addition, the business entrepreneurs, industrialists, sourcing suppliers, investors and local financial and traders that participate this conference will share the outcome of their cooperation and together they walk the path of creating wealth.
Economic and Trade Cooperation
The conference organizing committee chairman Kerk Loong Sing said that the aim of the regional conference is to promote regional joint economic cooperation and bring it to a new development stage, and the experts will speak on the financial crisis in the context of global economy and provide some solutions. In addition, the conference also aims at setting the new direction of economic and trade cooperation. Economic high-end personnel will predict the consequences of the regional economy's dip because of the global economy crisis and economy experts will recommend the new measures to revitalize the regional economy.
The conference provides the great platform for enterprise of each country to communicate, disseminate information and discuss on multi lateral cooperation. The China's trade and industry federations and some representatives from China are also invited to this conference.

Establishment of Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation

The Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APECF) was founded by a group of current or former political leaders, prominent scholars, and social activists, as well as enterprises and research institutes with world influence. The APECF has received extensive response from people of all walks from different regions in the world and participation of non-profit organizations to a certain extent. The foundation has maintained extensive and constructive contacts and cooperation with governments and non-governmental organizations in the region of Asia Pacific.
Objectives
The objectives of the foundation are to promote exchanges and cooperation in areas including politics, economy, and culture in Asia Pacific through an open dialogue platform and negotiation mechanism; and to realize the renaissance of the Eastern civilization under the new world order through public diplomacy, policy research, and social charity services and by utilizing the foundation's own influence, creativity, and actions. The foundation aims to make long-lasting efforts and contribution to world peace and the well-being of the human race.
Ultimate Goal
Other objectives include: to promote the comprehensive social, economic, and cultural development in the Asia Pacific region; to improve the understanding and cooperation of the people in this region; to explore and discover new model for the development in Asia through research, academic exchanges, and cultivation of talents in this region; to actively get involved in charity activities in the fields of environmental protection, eradication of poverty, and improvement of education and healthcare services in Hong Kong and neighboring areas; and to realize the ultimate goal of achieving harmonious relations between people and people, people and society, and people and the nature at the micro level. APECF aspires to establish itself in Hong Kong, serve the Asia Pacific region, and be geared to the world.
Working Targets
1. To coordinate with the United Nations and its agencies, governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations in various regions in exploring and discovering approaches and methods to address the common issues facing the human race like the religious conflicts, racial conflicts, environmental conflicts, and social contradictions due to poverty, education, healthcare, and unemployment in order to eradicate the root causes that undermine world peace and the well-being of the human race.
2. To play an active and constructive role and to seek win-win moderate path in relation to current hot issues in the world.
3. To have extensive cooperation with major think tank groups in the world in studying and conducting researches on current major world issues and the future fate of the world. At the same time, APECF takes the initiative to form the New Asia Pacific Think Tank to create a new Asian model by promoting the integration of the diverse culture in Asia Pacific and consolidating the best wisdom across the world.
4. To establish an effective cooperation mechanism with non-governmental organizations around the world to maximize the endeavor of promoting the public power in "save the earth, save the human" activities.
5. To promote interreligious understanding and dialogue and to achieve world peace by means of the human's spiritual harmony.
6. The foundation is to play the role as a backbone in the fields of new media and information technology to promote dialogue and understanding between the Eastern civilization and other civilizations in the world.
7. To support charity causes and activities of public good in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Macao, and other areas that benefit the Asia Pacific region.
Joint Chairmen
Leon H. Charney, former special envoy on Middle East affairs of the US President and chairman of the board of governors of Israel's University of Haifa
Korn Dabbaransi, former prime minister of Thailand
Colin Heseltine, former executive director of the council of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Prachanda, former prime minister of Nepal
Steven Clark Rockefeller, Jr., chairman of the board of directors of the Rockerfeller Group
Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress (appointed by the President)
Dr. Ramzi Sanbar, chairman of the SDC Group
Paras Bir Bikram Shah, crown prince of Nepal
Tiong Hiew King, executive chairman of Malaysia's Rimbunan Hijau Group
Executive Vice Chairman
Xiao Wunan, chairman of the United Nations Organization for Religious Understanding and Cooperation and vice chairman of China's Socio-Economic and Cultural Exchanges Committee

Military Impact of South China Sea Dispute on ASEAN Countries

Some international strategist has said that if ever there is any large-scale war happened in this world again, then it is likely that such a war will happen in the South China Sea. But not many people believe it and said it is an exaggerated prediction.
In the past, the Southeast Asian region could still be considered as a peaceful region and the South China Sea is still considered as a calm and quiet piece of ocean.
Sovereignty of Islands and Maritime Boundaries
Although there are some small islands and some small reefs in the South China Sea whose territorial rights and maritime boundaries no country can clearly define, but countries, including China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei have all come forward to claim the 'sovereignty' of these islands and maritime boundaries and in wanting to protect such maritime territorial rights.
Nevertheless, in 2002, the countries involved in the sovereignty disputes of islands in the South China Sea have at least reached an agreement to say that no country should use military power as a solution to end the dispute of the territorial rights to these islands. These countries also said they would jointly develop the marine resources in the South China Sea.
New Challenge
Under the premise of 'peaceful development,' although all countries involved in the sovereignty disputes over the islands in the South China Sea are unwilling to give up their 'sovereignty' on these islands, but they also do not want to involve in some kind of conflict or confrontation with one another. As such, in the past years, countries involved in the South China Sea conflicts could still basically keep peace with one another.
But the situation in the South China Sea has since changed. Facing new challenge and new impact, the balance of peace achieved by these countries in the past might eventually lose the needed balance of peaceful coexistence.
In the first place, the world natural resources are getting less and less. As such, to each and every nation, natural resources have also become more and more precious to them. For countries to sustain and advance in economic development, they have to depend on new energy resources to sustain their economic growth. Since the South China Sea is rich in oil and gas resources, countries surrounding the South China Sea can no longer control or hide their desire in wanting to carry out their respective oil exploration projects in wanting to extract the rich oil and gas resources in South China Sea instead of waiting for the day when all can jointly develop the rich natural resources there as agreed upon earlier.
Second, in the past, the national strength and ability of countries surrounding the South China Sea were limited. These countries did not have the strength to handle their respective domestic affairs let alone extending their national power to the far away ocean.
However, today, China's rapid economic growth has driven its military expansion. In addition to adding warships, fighter jets, submarines, missiles, China has also added aircraft carrier to its list of military equipment making it a major sea power. Making effort to strengthen its military force, China's sense of fighting spirit has also been uplifted. The voice of China's domestic hawkish camp is on the rise as day goes by. To China's hawkish group, the South China Sea is but an inland sea belonging to China and as such the South China Sea must be under the control of China.
Earlier this year, when China launched a massive military exercise in the South China Sea, the countries in the Southeast Asian region have already shown their concern over such a massive military exercise carried out by China.
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries have indeed felt the pressure of the expanded military power of China. In response, all ASEAN countries also began to increase their respective military budget, to purchase more military equipment and weapons. They begin to carry out military procurement race.
In the end, the original consensus to maintain peace and balance of power in the South China Sea region has entered a state of precarious balance with new friction emerging in the South China Sea water one after another.
Long-Embedded Confrontation
In May 2011, some patrol officers from China's patrol ship forcibly cut broken the cables of Vietnam's oil exploration ship. This incident has triggered serious argument between Vietnam and China and led the two sides entering a deadlock argument over such maritime conflict in the South China Sea. After the confronting incident between the vessels from the two countries, the Chinese and Vietnamese Governments have also begun to accuse the other side for provocation and for creating issue with each other. The incident has also set off protests from the civil society in both the countries.
Of note is that between China and Vietnam, these two countries have long-embedded confrontational and rival sentiment toward each other. For a long period in the past, Vietnam and China have considered each other as potential adversaries. As such, once these two countries come out with any kind of conflict and dispute, it can easily get out of control.
For this reason, the2002 consensus agreed upon by countries in the South China Sea region in not wanting to use military means to resolve the sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea might come out with possible variables.
Significant Military Influence
However, because of the military strength of ASEAN countries can never match that of China's military power, ASEAN countries understand that they cannot engage in direct military confrontation with China.
The present situation in the South China Sea is conducive to US intervention. After the United States withdrew its major military base in the Philippines, the United States has lost significant military influence in the Southeast Asian region. But today, due to the shift in global geopolitical environment, major powers have again reexamined the strategic importance of this part of the world. In this regard, Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore are countries that have expressed their positive desire to welcome the reentering of US military power to the South China Sea.
In the coming days, the United States and China are bound to twist their military arms to compete with each other in the South China Sea. In the end, what smaller countries surrounding the South China Sea can do in addition to taking or choosing sides to move closer either toward China and the United States, is, to hope for the best.

India's Arms Collection

The father of the nation had said, "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind." All respect and honor to the Mahatma in its place, but as far as his teachings are concerned we can fill our ears with them. It is a pity that the reality is very different from what he said and in the 21st century the entire world seems to be preparing for war and is stockpiling weapons. The situation in India seems to be no different from this.

Since the country's independence, it has had the reputation of a peace-loving and humanity sympathetic nation, which it has maintained.

Solving World Problems

For solving world problems, India has maintained its reputation as heading the list of non-aligned nations. Even today the country maintains its reputation for brotherhood and peace-loving country. This is a praiseworthy characteristic of India. It has always been desirous of solving its problems peacefully. This is one side of the picture which is extremely pleasing. But its other side is a cause of worry for peace-loving sympathizers. This is that India heads the list of countries in arms purchasing, according to the list of arms purchased released by an organization from Stockholm.

After intensive research, between 2006 and 2010, India has left the rest of the world far behind in arms purchases. China which used to head the list for the past four years has been relegated to second place in arms purchasing , while North Korea has gone to the third place and Pakistan fourth.

Requirement for Self-Relianc

There is no denying that with neighbors like Pakistan and China with which India has border disputes effect bilateral relations from time to time. There is always the danger of war erupting with them. It is very important for India to maintain constant vigil and remain prepared constantly. Because of this, the country keeps on buying weapons. This is the first requirement for self-reliance but to keep on constantly buying weapons is hardly a solution. The country will have to seriously reconsider this problem, especially with those countries with which it has disputes.

It is essential to stay on constant alert and is a prime necessity of self-reliance. But for this, it is not necessary to buy weapons all the time. Before going any further, it may be noted that for 2011 and 2012 the amounts set aside for defense is trillions of dollars. Ordinary citizens will not be able to tell how many Rupees are in $100 million. Like the people who can find love, there are very few who can figure this out. Keep in mind that every citizen is an equal participant in this.

Improving Infrastructure

On one side, this an expense more or less in billions, and on the other, this is a bitter reality which cannot be denied. For example India has one-third of the poor people in this world which means that every third poor man in this world is an Indian. In diet deficiency, India comes after Bangladesh. This is the reason that 3,707 million die of malnourishment. Thirty-five percent of India's our population is unemployed. Very few get clean water to drink. This is the reason that 37.7 die million is no small number. Over 200,000 succumb to malaria every year.

According to some sources, 20 million with higher education are unemployed. To improve the infrastructure how many areas are to be improved? All dangers that are facing the country have to be faced which we are doing in a half-hearted manner. If it was not for defense we could have reached a stage of development and we could have taken the next step toward empowering the people's lives.

Google's Displeasure Over China's Censorship

Internet is in the forefront of the IT revolution and Google is the king of this virtual world. In 2005, when it went to do business in China, it accepted the conditions of the Chinese Government. When China imposed the condition that the government would decide what would be seen on its search engine and what would be not, it did not protest. However, those fighting for freedom of expression termed Google's surrender as shameful.
Like Google, other US companies also know that if they have to do business in China, it is better to turn away from ideals like human rights and freedom. China is such a huge market that the greed of profit weighs heavy over ideals. China exerts pressure on these companies as it wishes, and these companies tolerate everything. They also have arguments sometimes.
According to Google, it accepted censorship because you have to obey the laws of the land where you are doing business, like they have to obey the Indian Government's rules in India. Google had then forgotten the difference between dictatorial regimes and democratic countries.

Hackers Attacked
The Chinese Government's machinery has launched a kind of war to steal sensitive information from the information system of the world. They often hack computers of the Indian defense ministry to private businesses.
This year, when hackers attacked Google's e-mail service, Google woke up. These attacks were carried out with very sophisticated technology and it came to the fore in the investigation that these attacks were being carried out at the instance of the Chinese Government. Google has now threatened that it would not censor its search, even if it has to leave China. No matter how late, it is good for someone's conscious to wake up.

Persecution Behind Market
The world looks at China's market, but not the persecution behind the market. Even if you look at it from the business viewpoint because of China's wall, trade is always in favor of China.
China has fooled the world by keeping its currency low through artificial means, giving more and more subsidy to exports, and openly violating the rules of intellectual property rights, but the world always ignored it drooling over China's so-called massive market. Now that Google has got back its spine, it is hoped that other companies too would find the courage.

Challenges Rising Against US Dollar as the Global Currency

The value of the US dollar and gold saw fluctuations in the global markets over the past week. The price fluctuations followed a report by The Independent, a British newspaper, quoting an unnamed source, that the Arab Gulf oil-exporting countries held a talk with major oil consuming countries like China, Russia, Japan and France. They were considering an end to the use of the dollar in buying oil, and instead opting for a basket of currencies consisting of yen, yuan and euro, as well as gold.

That report immediately caused the dollar to become weaker against other major currencies. In the meantime, the prices of gold increased rapidly and fuelled speculation that the prices would exceed 1,100 dollars an ounce in the near future.

Dollar in Oil Purchase and Sale
The countries mentioned in the report came out to deny there was no such discussion and they insisted on continuing with using the dollar in oil purchase and sale. In the meantime, analysts pointed out that it will not be easy to stop using the dollar in oil transactions as there are many obstacles to overcome, particularly for China to have to allow its yuan to become more flexible in value.

The US dollar has come under severe attacks because its value has seen a continuing decline since the United States suffered from a serious economic recession over a year ago. Early this year, there were calls from China and Russia for countries of the world to adopt the International Monetary Fund (IMF) system of currencies basket to replace the US dollar as the principal global currency. They cited concern that the dollar was gradually decreasing in value, which would result in reduced value for assets held in the dollar term.

Fluctuating Exchange Rates
In the recent meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) major industrialized countries issued a statement expressing concern about the weakening value of the dollar, a decline of 14 per cent this year when compared to six other major currencies of the world. The statement also said that the fluctuating exchange rates and the movements in value that do not correspond with the basic economic factors are undermining the stability of the foreign exchange markets and the global economy.

It is not easy for other currencies to replace the US dollar as the global currency, given the facts that the US is the world's largest economy and the international trade is mostly done in the dollar term. Most international reserves are also in the form of the greenback. Even though the euro has been rapidly rising in value, the combined size of the euro economies and the popularity of the European currency remain a distant away when compared to the US dollar.

Safe Investment Alternatives
However, the unified pressure from other superpowers against the US dollar should not be overlooked. If all those countries agree to reduce their asset holdings in the dollar term, the greenback's value will see a sudden nosedive. It is true that other currencies cannot match the US dollar, but the traditional safe investment alternatives like gold will greatly benefit. Then, oil prices will shoot up regardless of the currency used for transaction.

The US Government is trying hard to restore confidence in the country's currency and to retain its status as the No 1 economy of the world. There are new challenges from rising stars like China, which just celebrated the 60th anniversary of the republic's establishment and has expressed its determination to become the next world leader.

India-China 13th Round of Talks

The practical conclusion drawn from the joint statement issued after a China-India dialogue on the border issue is that it did not make much headway. It only expressed satisfaction with the talks. This has no meaning, whatsoever. There is nothing new in the resolution on peace and stability either.

Dai Bingguo's Visit to India
State Counselor Dai Bingguo represented China in the talks. Although he said that the border problem should be solved to the satisfaction of both sides, he did not deem it fit to suggest an outline. After his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Bingguo was confident that an opportunity to reach a solution would come as relations between the countries strengthened in the next few years.

The direct implication of his statement could be that no immediate solution of the border problem is being expected. As a matter of fact, this was the 13th round of talks over a span of 28 years.

Yet, the border problem remains where it stood. If any progress has been made, it is only on the decision to work out guidelines for further talks.

Joint Development
In a message sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, both his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao and Chinese President Hu Jintao have emphasized the need for peaceful coexistence and joint development in the interest of both countries. In the ultimate analysis, it will benefit Asia and the entire world, they added.

These are cordial statements that have nothing to do with the border problem. In reply to this message, our prime minister also pointed out that India was keen to encourage peace, prosperity, and stability throughout the world jointly with China.

Almost a similar joint statement was made during his China visit in 2008, but the country would like to know the outcome of the last dialogue.

Resolving Bilateral Issues
It is quite clear that India is not a factor in the border dispute. A large chunk of our territory has been occupied by China. It is staking its claim on entire Arunachal Pradesh on the ground that it is part of Tibet. It is not at all prepared to soften its stand on this issue. China also vehemently objected to the $60 million loan granted to Arunachal Pradesh by the Asian Development Bank for its development.

The body language of the Chinese army on the Arunachal Pradesh border makes its intention quite clear. In retaliation, when India increased the strength of its border force, started improving roads and deployed Sikhoi-30 squadrons there, China raised strong objections.

How can the border problem be solved if such an attitude persists? Its solution depends entirely on the stand taken by China. Yet, the 13th round of talks did not indicate any change in it.

China, India and Russia on Global Clout

The history of countries, continents and the world is an ever-changing phenomenon. There were so many historical changes, upheavals, revolutions, records, destructions and re-emergence. In the known history of the world, the Romans were the first power to reckon with. They ruled the UK and part of Europe, followed by the Greeks, symbolised by Alexander the Great, who came up to India. Then the British, after a gap of almost more than one-and-a-half millennium, ruled the world, colonising more than half of the globe—Australia, the US, Africa and Asia. The brightest jewel of their crown, of course, was India.


After reigning supreme for almost six hundred years, the British gave way to the Americans who ruled the world and became the superpower. The erstwhile USSR, though another superpower, could not hold its fort for long and disintegrated. Now all the three superpowers of the 20th century the US, UK and the erstwhile USSR have lost their penetration. But the question is: “Who would replace them?” The answer is they would be replaced by the three Asian giants—China, India and Russia.


The Reasons
The time has changed and changed drastically. There are many countries in the world which have ruled over others in the past century. But in the new millennium many of them have been routed over or vanished from the list of superpowers. They have been replaced by another emerging powers.


The trio—China, India and Russia—each of them calls for multi-polarity in the world, which amounts to a barely concealed expression of discomfort with the overweening the US global presence—in other words, the hegemony of the US. Each of them is on an upward economic path, which makes for a more active foreign policy.


China has experienced high growth for nearly three decades and is a weighty factor in the global economy. Starting later, India has also shot ahead and bids fair to join its neighbour. China is a country whose economic success can influence the global balance. And Russia has finally put behind it the problems of its collapsed Soviet legacy, being now on a path of rapid growth which has helped restore a good part of its lost international influence.


The US might have bashed Afghanistan and Iraq or for that matter any other country in the world, but on economic matters it carries no influence on others. In the globalised world, the competing centres of wealth and power have shifted to China, India and Russia. There are many other factors which have contributed to the erosion of the American leadership. For example, the Americans are not ready to change their wasteful style of living. The Americans are only five to six per cent of the world population, yet they consume 25 per cent of the total world’s production. America was the world largest oil producer till 1974 and, therefore, it never cared for the world prices. Now it imports 60 per cent of its requirements and is hit hard by its swelling prices.


The New Trio
As the leaders of the US and the UK have been losing grip on the world economy, the leaders of China, India and Russia have been gaining strength at least in the past two decades. The South-east countries, in a combined way, got the economic activity shifted from the US to their countries. Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea were designated as Asian Tigers. Later China, India and Russia gave stiff competition to these countries besides the US and Europe.


The shifting focus of the economic activity to Asia has given a new dimension to the leadership in China, India and Russia. Asia has more than half the world’s foreign exchange reserves but only 15 per cent of the votes in the International Monetary Fund’s Executive Board. The continent also accounts for 60 per cent of the world’s population and 25 per cent of global Gross National Product (GNP), yet only two countries are the permanent members of the UN Security Council from Asia. However, the major players remain in the form of India, China and Russia.


China
As far as China is concerned, it entered the world economy in the late 70s and soon became the manufacture of most of those products that were being manufactured in the US. Even Japanese companies shifted to China because of cheap labour, strong infrastructure and favourable Government attitude towards multi-national corporations. Soon it became the world’s fastest growing economy and the second biggest holder of American debt. All this was happening because of the strong leadership in the country.


A decade ago, China was engulfed by a largely diffident and isolationist mentality. Much has changed since then. With foreign exchange reserves in excess of one trillion dollars today, China enjoys a huge trading surplus over the US and the European Union. This economic surge has bred a new self-confidence and a prevent insistence on playing a more active role in the world order. Which the US constrained by the expensive military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and therefore, unable to devote sample resource to South East Asia, China has glacefully filled the vacuum. It is telling that Indonesia and the Philippines get more financial aid now from Beiging than the US.


China’s huge appetite for natural resources has led it to cultivate deeper relationship in Africa, Central Asia and Latin America. In 2008, it hosted a summit in Beijing attended by at least 45 African Heads of State. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), founded in 2001 with Russia and other Central Asian countries, has become a crucial ins¬trument of China's energy security policy.


China is also trying on its rich cultural heritage to draw visitors and project a more positive image of itself. China soft power is playing a vital role in commenting its global eminence.


The rise of China’s global clout is manifestly obvious. But it also poses an altogether different and challenging question: Is China’s growing influence desirable? To the extent that China’s coming of age is paving the way for a multi¬polar era in global politics there are good reasons to take some comfort from it.


Yet the glow surrounding China’s ascendancy should not camouflage a colder reality. Economic success has not been accompanied by a corresponding expansion of political freedom. Few allowances are made for dissenting voices. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a well-regarded international NGO, China has imprisoned more journalists than any other country in the world for the last eight consecutive years.


There is little to suggest that this contemptible repression will subside. At the Communist Party’s recently held National Congress it came as no surprise that the genuine need for political reforms went unacknowledged. The monolithic, centalised political structure with its chronic scorn for divergent opinion still holds sway.


India
Whereas India was a latecomer to join the economic prosperity. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi gave the lead when she came back to power in 1980. She introduced the process of economic liberalisation. However, the true harbingers of reforms in early 1990s, were the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh when he was Finance Minister.


The country, especially in the last two decades, has come out on the global scene at the second fastest-growing nation in the world, next only to China. It is believed that in the decades to come Indian economy will be larger than Italy, the UK and Japan.


Fortunately, Singh became the Prime Minister in May 2004 and is playing a dominating role in the Asian politics. His stature and competence has given the country, strength and has acquired acceptability among the world leaders. India has already established fruitful dialogue with APEC, ASEAN, SAARC, the US, the UK, Japan, Russia, China, Germany, Canada, and many other powerful countries in the world. The results are visible in the flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the willingness of more foreign companies to join hands with India.


In the wake of high-profile diplomacy by Indian leaders during the past decade, India has emerged as a true leading country. The country has regained its supremacy on the international scenario.


Russia
On the other hand, Russia, under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the former President and present Prime Minister of the country, has recovered and gained tremendous momentum from the crippling and humiliating aftermath of the collapse of the erstwhile USSR.


Russia is more prosperous today when Putin took over, and Russians at all income levels have benefited. Like all post-Communist countries, it endured a rise in poverty and political upheaval in the first half of the 1990s.


In 1997-98, Russia along with other “emerging markets” suffered a financial crash. Yeltsin appoined a new Prime Minister, Yevgeny Primakov, who restored fiscal solvency and began Russia’s recovery, before Putin appeared on the scene. The forlorn babushkas selling their personal effects that many foreigners remember were ancient history by the time Putin took power.


Russia continued the economic reforms for the last eight-nine years to good effect, especially under the leadership of Putin. But as he clamped down on poli¬tical businesses and began to resocialise the economy, investment was dampened.


The country has not only made its economy strong but also marked its presence in the various sectors especially nuclear and military powers. Its army has resumed long-hand missions by their strategic bombers with strong capability. The country has uplifted itself in such a position from where it can dictate terms in international arena.


Missile Defence System
Another subject on which the three Asian countries shared an approach is the missile defence system, a concept being promoted by the US. Evidently this was not part of the formal agenda that these countries had come up in their recent talks. As there is no difference of view between them, they felt no need to place it on the formal agenda.

The missile defence system, which is taking shape in Eastern Europe and the Cancasus region, is a particular aggravation to Russia, and that country has been swarting at its likely impact in its immediate neighbourhood.


Several Russian attempts to stave off this development have failed, so that the US missile defence plans have served to complicate relations between the two major global nuclear powers. India and China have kept clear of becoming entangled in this matter. As a non-aligned nation, India can scarcely be involved, nor is it within the affected geographical region, any more than China.

There will be a temptation to give exaggerated importance to these visible differences, perhaps even to regard them as signs of an emerging challenge to the existing US global dominance. But that would be to leap too far ahead. Though each of the three countries of this group may chafe at one aspect or other of the policies of the US, none of them can contemplate actions that would seriously complicate their relationship with the US. That remains the key connection for each of them.

It has become obvious that three-country group is not engaged in any grand redesign of the global architecture. Thus, the value of these meetings is important in fashioning a shared global vision in creating a forum that would permit useful diplomatic discourse among these super Asian countries whose impact on Asia and the world will continue to grow.