Sino-indian Maritime Security Research

This dissertation deals with a study on China and Indian maritime security concepts and maritime strategy, as well as contradictions, conflicts and cooperation between two countries' maritime security.First of all, the dissertation argues that China and India, in the context of maritime security, have many comparable similarities in the past. Both were the ever ancient powers, extremely rich and civilized, embracing a brilliant and far-reaching culture. From the geopolitical-environment point of view, they both belong to the land-sea country, existing as the isolated countries, which guaranteed their long-term peace in the ancient time period. In modern history, going through the loss of their state sovereignty, both China and India confronted maritime threats. In modern times, not only did maritime security concepts of two countries have a close linkage with their reemergences, but also their maritime security strategy had a close tie with their national security strategy. However, for the different geopolitical environments, different maritime security contents and different maritime security structures, the maritime security concepts and maritime security strategy of China and India differed in the latest decades, which may further affect two countries' maritime security constructions. A comparative study on the similarities and differences of both China and India's maritime security past and present is my focus, in the hope of revealing the causes and the likely influence of those similarities and differences.Secondly, at present Sino-Indian maritime security concerns range broadly in the Asia-Pacific region and Indian Ocean region. India formulated the control strategy of "the Ocean of India "in the Indian Ocean region, while implementing "Looking East Policy" in the Asia-Pacific region. In other words, in the Indian Ocean region, India strives to separate other countries from engaging with China, or to exercise the policy of balance of power between China and other countries. In the Asia-Pacific region, India endeavours to develop sound relationships with America, ASEAN countries, Japan, South Korea and Austria, in hopes of occupying a strategic position there. The Asia-Pacific countries hold a welcome attitude toward the involvement of India. However, China has sovereignty disputes with several countries in the Asia-Pacific region, while confronting the blockage of "String of Pearls" strategy, therefore, China's maritime security strategy remains prudent enough, in order to give top priority to the overall situation and maintain the status quo of maritime security as a basis, attempting to have a breakthrough while implementing defensive strategy. In the Indian Ocean region, it is the primary concern for China to keep the sea lines of communication and energy safe, to develop sound relationships with littoral countries, build some wharves in some littoral countries and lay oil pipelines so as to safeguard the energy. Because of those policies touching Indian nerve, India regards as a strategy of encirclement -" string of pearls". Of course, it is a bluff in India, aiming to get more in the game. Concerning on each other's security strategy, nevertheless, China and India remained reasonable and restraint.Despite the conflicts, there are still great prospects for cooperation in two countries' maritime security fields, especially in the non-traditional security ones, for instance, counter-terrorism, combat-piracy, anti-organized crime and the joint disaster relief, etc. At last, this dissertation proposes to build a Sino-Indian-led regional maritime security cooperation mechanism, which aims to establish the Sino-Indian information exchange mechanism so as to eliminate strategic misunderstanding, gradually to build confidence, and finally to establish an institutional cooperation mechanism. This mechanism is characterized as a multilateral and open one so that surrounding countries' concerns would be eliminated and a regional security cooperation mechanism would be finalised. Despite it will be very difficult to achieve this aim, at least doubts from both sides can be eliminated, and it will be a strategic alternative for the future maritime cooperation.