Dear Friend,

In February, the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) continued to take up relevant issues and topics through digital platforms to generate informed analysis of China and East Asia. This month, we held a series of activities, including four webinars and nine publications.

EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

The ICS conducted a book discussion and three other webinars this month.

Amb. Kishan S. Rana, Emeritus Fellow, ICS, Delhi and Former Ambassador & High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius and Germany spoke on ‘China’s ‘Undiplomatic’ Diplomacy’ on 3 February. Amb. Shyam Saran, Member, Governing Council, ICS, Delhi and former Foreign Secretary, Government of India, was in Chair. (YouTube)

Prof. Gulshan Sachdeva, Chairperson, Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Jean Monnet Chair and Coordinator, Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence spoke on ‘EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment’ on 10 February. Amb. Ashok K. Kantha, Director, ICS was in Chair. (YouTube)

A book discussion was held on 17 February with the editors of ‘China’s Search for ‘National Rejuvenation’, Dr. Jabin T Jacob, Associate Professor, Department of International Relations and Governance Studies, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida and Adjunct Research Fellow, National Maritime Foun and Hoang The Anh, Senior Researcher, Institute of Chinese Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Science. Other speakers included Dr. Cu Chi Loi, Associate Professor and Director-General, Institute of American Studies in Vietnam's Academy of Social Sciences and Dr. Ngeow Chow Bing, Director of the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaya. Dr. Bhim Subba,  Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, School of Social Science, University of Hyderabad and Dr. P.K. Anand, visiting Associate Fellow, ICS, Delhi and non- Resident Fellow, India China Institute, The New School, New York were discussants. Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty, Honorary Fellow, ICS was in Chair. (YouTube)

Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi and former India's Ambassador to Japan spoke on ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Taking Stock’ on 24 February. Mr. Jayadeva Ranade, President, Centre for China Analysis and Strategy and former Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India chaired the event. (YouTube)

PUBLICATIONS

This month we had nine publications in total – one Occasional Paper, three ICS Analysis, three ICS Translations and two ICS Research Blogs (all available on our website).

ICS Occasional Paper

1. Ms. Ananya Raj Kakoti, Research Intern, ICS, Delhi on ‘India’s Role in the Indo-Pacific Region in the post-COVID 19 World Order’.

ICS Analysis

1. Amb. Arun K Singh Former Indian Ambassador to US, France and Israel, Member, India’s National Security Advisory Board, Distinguished Non-Resident Senior Fellow, German Marshall Fund, Halle Institute Distinguished Fellow, Emory University and Visiting Professor, Ashoka University on ‘US-China Relations in the post-Trump Phase’.
2. Ms. Megha Shrivastava, Research Intern, ICS, Delhi on ‘Strategic Stability between China and the US in the Age of Artificial Intelligence’.
3. Mr. Pritish Gupta, Research Intern, ICS, Delhi on ‘What Explains the Enduring Alliance between China and North Korea?’.

ICS Research Blogs

1. Dr. Hemant Adlakha, Honorary Fellow, ICS and Associate Professor, JNU, New Delhi, on ‘Is ‘guht’ the anagram Biden must solve before calling up President Xi?’ (earlier published by the Indian Defence Review under the same title on February 15, 2021)
2. Dr. Hemant Adlakha, Honorary Fellow, ICS and Associate Professor, JNU, New Delhi, on ‘Beijing Drives a Wedge between Australia and New Zealand’ (Modified version of the original article titled ‘Beijing having the last laugh as Australia, New Zealand spat over China turns ugly’ published by Modern Diplomacy on 11 February, 2021)

ICS Translations

1. Mr. Prashant Kaushik, Assistant Professor, Department of Chinese, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar translated ‘Imagine China, If Mao was Gandhi’.
2. Dr. Hemant Adlakha, Honorary Fellow, ICS and Associate Professor, JNU, New Delhi, translated ‘Bukharin Inspired Deng Xiaoping to Change China’.
3. Ms. Tanvi Negi, Assistant Professor, Department of Chinese Studies, Doon University translated ‘Mutual Aid Sanitary Napkin’ Groups: A Small Step, Giant Leap to End ‘Menstrual Shame’.

In February, China Report, Vol. 5, Issue 1, was published online.

IN THE MEDIA

Amb. Shyam Saran, Member, ICS Governing Council and former Foreign Secretary, Government of India authored five pieces –  As Biden shapes a new US policy, China changes tack on ties with India for The Print on  24 February; China’s pursuit of global finance for The Business Standard on 4 February; Has China bitten off more than it can chew? for The Hindustan Time on 10 February; The guessing game begins and China changes tack for The Tribune on 10 February and 25 February, respectively. Amb. Saran’s interviews were carried by The Print, in its article titled, Indian response in Ladakh quite substantial compared to Doklam, Shyam Saran says on 11 February and by The Hindu in its article titled India must prioritise returning to the status quo ante on LAC: Shyam Saran on 20 February. He also appeared on NDTV for an interview on Ladakh Disengagement A Positive Development: Ex-Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran on 18 February. The Keynote Address by Hon’ble Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Government of India during the 13^th AICCS was covered in The Diplomat in their article titled Indian External Affairs Minister Speaks on US and China – With Varying Effect on 2 February  and  The Times of India in their article titled How India changed Playbook and took China by Surprise on 12 February. Prof. Alka Acharya, Honorary Fellow, ICS was quoted by The Hindu in its article titled Education Ministry’s notification on virtual seminars unenforceable, say academics on 11 February, The Federal in its article titled, How Centre’s webinar curbs will impair exchange of ideas, scientific freedom on 23 February and LiveLaw in its article titled, New GoI Limitations On International Webinars: Not Just Freedom Of Speech, Even The Scientific/Academic Freedom At Stake! on 26 February. Amb. Skand Tayal, Adjunct Fellow, ICS, authored an article titled, S-Russia ties, already rocky, get worse after Navalny jailing for the Deccan Chronicle on 10 February. Dr. Shamshad Ahmed Khan, Visiting Associate Fellow, ICS, Delhi  was quoted by Nikkei Asia in its article titled India's silence toward Myanmar shows its wariness of China on 25 February.  Dr. Rajiv Ranjan, Adjunct Fellow, ICS authored a piece titled, The local solution for The Indian Express on 19 February. Mr. Ravi Bhoothalingam, Honorary Fellow, ICS, authored a piece on Wanted: A Nuanced Strategy to Engage with China for The Wire on 27 February.

FACULTY UPDATES

Amb. Kishan S. Rana, Emeritus Fellow, ICS and Former Ambassador & High Commissioner to Algeria, Czechoslovakia, Kenya, Mauritius and Germany participated in closed-door discussion titled organised by Synergia on 28 January.  His comments were published as Red Lines and Green Lines in its journal Insights (Edition III of February 2021). His commentary on Centre–State Cooperation in Handling Foreign Affairs: A Comparative Perspective was published by The Economic & Political Weekly on 6 February. Dr. Hemant Adlakha, Honorary Fellow, ICS and Associate Professor, JNU, New Delhi authored two pieces for Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement – on Biden’s First Foreign Policy Address to the World’: Nothing ‘Lost in Translation’ and With Biden in the White House, can China continue to play the EU Card? both published on 15 February. Mr. Ravi Bhoothalingam, Honorary Fellow, ICS, participated in a panel discussion on RCEP on 30 January 2021 organised by the Synergia Foundation, and his inputs in the proceedings were published as Never waste a Good Crisis in its journal Insights (Edition III of February 2021). Prof. Sreemati Chakrabarti, Honorary Fellow, ICS authored an article titled Legalizing Basic Education: China's Compulsory Education Law in Practice which was published in the AIS-JMI Journal of International and Area Studies, Volume 2, No.1: 2020 (ISBN 2582-3639). Dr. Patricia Uberoi, Chairperson and Honorary Fellow, ICS, Delhi authored a set of four co-edited books titled, Asian Families and Intimacies, eds. Emiko OCHIAI and Patricia UBEROI published by Sage Publications, New Delhi.  The volumes consist in the main of papers translated from Asian languages (Japanese, Chinese (traditional & simplified), Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog). Papers sourced from India, and some from Philippines, were originally in English. Her book titled, ‘Introduction: Transforming Asian Sexualities', Part III 'Introduction' in Emiko OCHIAI & Patricia UBEROI (eds), Asian Families and Intimacies, Vol. 2. was published by Sage Publications. Prof. Sushila Narasimhan, Adjunct Fellow, ICS and Professor of Japanese Studies, Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi authored a book titled ‘India-Japan Narratives: Lesser known Historical and Cultural Interactions’ published by Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI), New Delhi. Dr. Reeja Nair, Research Associate, ICS, contributed a chapter titled ‘Contested Terrains: The Labour Contract Law and Structural Conflicts in Chinese Political Economy’ in an edited volume entitled ‘Tailspin: The Politics of India-China Economic Relations’. Ms. Preksha Shree Chhetri, Research Assistant, ICS also contributed a chapter titled ‘Divide et Impera: China’s Unassailable Presence in Europe’ for the same volume.

The ICS Website, Facebook and Twitter accounts are among the several ways you can get the latest on our publications and activities. You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter to follow our events and publications as well as browse our YouTube and SoundCloud channels.

We look forward to your participation in our events and activities in the coming days and hope for your continued support.

Please take care and stay safe and healthy.

Best regards,

Ashok K. Kantha

Director

Institute of Chinese Studies

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