Sino-Indian Security Relations

This article analyses Sino–Indian security relations in the bilateral, external and regional contexts. It first argues that the boundary question and the Tibet issue are the most immediate elements in bilateral security relations. While both sides have started the process of resolving the border dispute from a political perspective through special representatives, and have reached a consensus on the political position of Tibet (and Sikkim), the sensitive part of the two issues—‘east-west swap’ and Tibetan government-in-exile respectively—are still awaiting a breakthrough. India continues to regard Pakistan as the principal external factor in its relations with China. China pays more and more attention to the India-US strategic partnership and its implications for its relations with India on the other hand. With the dual rise of Beijing and New Delhi in international society, their respective interests and influence will inevitably encounter each other in the Asian subregions. The article concludes that more China-India cooperation than competition will be sequentially seen in Central, Southeast, and South Asia in the future.