In These New Times

“The fact of the matter is that the headlong plunge into a new level of military involvement in the Middle East (Iraq) and Eurasia (Ukraine) incapacitates the US from advancing the rebalance strategy in Asia and China is taking advantage of it. Wang’s meeting with the US secretary of state John Kerry in Myanmar yesterday gives a flavor of the Chinese confidence that the Barack Obama administration has its hands full during the remaining period of the presidency (until end-2016) and comes under compulsion to “respect China’s legitimate rights and interests” in the Asia-Pacific and to enter into a constructive engagement with China.” So much for Obama’s grand pivot to China initiative!

M.K.Bhadrakumar Indian Punchline 10th August, 2014 The frequency of high-level interaction between India and China has perceptibly increased since the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over in late May. This cannot but be viewed as signaling the Modi government’s foreign-policy priority, although Beijing set the ball rolling with the extraordinary diplomatic move to depute China’s foreign minister Wang Yi to Delhi in early June in a manifest desire and sense of urgency to open lines of communication with the new Indian leadership.