0

ANNUAL

REPORT

2018-2019

1

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

Founding of C3S with the aim of sharing South Indian perspectives on China, and kick off of research and national/ international interactions, including with Sri Lankan scholars.

Several events to engage with delegates from Taiwan, Shanghai, and other stakeholders thus laying the foundation for C3S’ outreach.

Sustained C3S activities with Indian Universities while ensuring the goal of engaging with the youth for understanding China.

C3S expands outreach to the Asia-Pacific, with interaction with scholars from Down Under.

The first C3S event on Science & Technology, had a theme set to drive global affairs, and was chosen as the focus of an event in 2018, as it coincided with the C3S’ 10th anniversary and 3 decades of India-China S&T cooperation.

Japanese delegates interact with C3S, bringing in the Northeast Asian & Pacific perspective.

11 years of the Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S), aeons 久久 to go…

2

2014

2015

2016 2017

2018

2019

Field visit by C3S young scholars to Brahmaputra River. First College level competition held by C3S: Essay contest on Sino-Indian Economic Relations.

C3S touches the Malabar coast, with the National Seminar on ‘Understanding China: India Perspectives’ in association with Institute for Contempor-ary Chinese Studies Nelson Mandela Chair for Afro-Asian Studies, MGU, Kerala.

Inaugurationof ‘Young Minds of C3S’-the youth forum of C3S to share knowledge and ideas on enhancing India-China ties. 1st occasion for a C3S young scholar to be selected to visit China as part of ICS-led All India Think Tank Delegation, sponsored by Ministry of Foreign Affairs , PRC.

C3S receives H.E. Luo Zhaohui, Ambassador of PRC to India, for an informal interaction. 20 events in FY2016-2017, including visits of Prof. John Garver, Dr. Young Cho & Dr. T.V.Paul. 1st

C3SInternational Cultural Conference(Keynote by Minister Councilor, Embassy of PRC, Delhi). The first C3S China Quiz w h e r e 77 students take part. C3S ranked as 48th Best Independent Think Tank out of 145 as per 2016 global survey & top 70th think tank in India, Japan, China and South Korea. MoU signed with Tibet Policy Institute (TPI).

C3S celebrates its 10th anniversary with the Commemorative International Seminar, where Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Defence, GoI, delivers the Keynote Address. 2018 top think tanks ranking: C3S climbs to top 30th position from 70th, while ranked among the 90 top think tanks in India, Japan, China and South Korea; Once again, C3S ranked as 48th best independent Think Tank out of 145 globally surveyed. First industry partnership for carrying out a joint study.

10 events organized during first 3 months into 2019, with 6 international interactions, including 3 international conferences and a one-month visit by Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working as a journalist for the Swiss daily Le Temps.

3

The founders of C3S, who are no longer in this earthly

abode but have left behind a rich legacy of China studies…

From left to right: Late Mr. B. Raman, Former Additional

Secretary (Retd.), Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India

(GoI); Late Mr. D. S. Rajan, Founding Director, C3S and

Distinguished Fellow, C3S; and Late Mr. R. Swaminathan IPS

(Retd.), Former Special Secretary and Director

General(Security), Cabinet Secretariat, GoI; Vice-President,

C3S. Also a founding member (not pictured here): Late Mr. P.

N. G. Subramanian IFS (Retd.), Former Consul General of

India, Shanghai; Vice-President, C3S.

C3S endeavors to carry forward their inspiration for studying

China, to greater heights.

4

“Diplomacy is being firm sans

being provocative, of being able

to articulate lucidly our national

interests.”

-(Late) Mr. B. Raman

5

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S) in the Financial Year 2018-2019 has worked

to achieve beyond its set targets, and engage in enhanced in-depth research and activities on China.

A key highlight is the participation of the Honourable Minister of Defence, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman who delivered the Keynote Address at the C3S’ 10th Anniversary Commemorative Seminar, June 8-9 2018 at Chennai.

The think tank has published 14 publications till 2018, with three books launched by the Honorable Minister of Defence at the 10th Anniversary event (Page 23).

88 articles were published on the C3S website in FY2018-2019, in addition to other occasional papers, monographs and books.

The publications have spanned a comprehensive range of China dynamics, which include Maritime Power Play in the Indo-Pacific, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Security & Geo-Strategy, Economy & Finance, Politics & Society, Environment and Culture (Page 12-15).

17 events were organized, including international conferences, roundtable discussions, lecture discussions and a China Quiz, which were held in collaboration with institutions from within the country and abroad (Page 16-17).

The takeaways of the events point to the in-depth and fresh perspectives brought forth under the think tank’s aegis, which will benefit the concerned Ministries, strategists, policy-makers, Sinologists, academia, the young minds, business persons and other stakeholders (Page 18-22).

C3S members and researchers participated in numerous China-related activities, both within the think tank and at national and international forums (Page 29-37).

There has been a notable increase in the number of members of the Young Minds of C3S- the think tank’s youth platform, and in the number of subscribers worldwide for the C3S Newsletter- Bamboo Shoots- to over 250 and 1300 respectively. C3S’ Internship Programme is expanding, with 50+ interns mentored since 2015 and 22 in FY2018-2019 alone (Page 24-25).

C3S has been visited by prominent international and national Sinologists to exchange views and learn from the think tank on India-China relations, hence indicating the think tank’s profile and outreach.

By and large, as the only south based think tank to have a focused study of China, C3S has delivered on all fronts, and looks to expand its range of activities (Page 26-28).

MEA during the FY2018-1019 doubled the grant to Rs 12 lakhs which has helped C3S to increase its foot print globally.

The international ranking of global think tanks has placed C3S in a enviable position. It was ranked at 30 amongst 90 think tanks in South Korea, Japan, India and China. Likewise, it was placed at 48th position amongst 145 globally independent think tanks of repute.

C3S looks forward to continued support from MEA for sustaining the momentum generated in the last eleven years to be able to contribute to informed debate and thinking on China-related aspects.

6

“

As the end of the year report is being readied, it is gratifying to note

that we have scaled new heights not just in 2018-2019 but have been

steadily adding to our worth as a think tank of repute since we started

our journey more than a decade ago. It is fitting that Smt. Nirmala

Sitharaman, Honourable Minister of Defence, Government of India,

graced our tenth anniversary commemorative conference that drew the best minds

engaged in the study of China related issues.

We have added many new initiatives that have helped us to understand the complex

nuances of India-China relations in the backdrop of the dynamic happenings in an

ever changing world. The process of keeping us updated has been ensured by conduct

of regular lectures, roundtable-discussions, seminars, conferences and youth

programmes. These along with other initiatives have helped us to remain focused and

updated on contours of changes in areas of interest. Engaging the youth has been a

priority area and this has been achieved by the Young Minds of C3S- a youth forum

in which we have over 250 members engaged in a virtual platform. Many of the young

members have gone through C3S‟ successful Internship Programme aimed at

mentoring the youth and honing their skills in research and analysis. Since the

commencement of the internship programme in 2015, over fifty interns from India

and abroad have benefited from the exposure to the rigors of intense study and

research. C3S has made it a point to publish peer reviewed articles on our website. We

have also published books, monographs and occasional papers last year and they have

been well received. The fact that many of the interns and research officers have been

selected for PhD programme and higher study abroad is a testimony to the success of

the programme in C3S.

C3S remains grateful to the support by MEA and also the liberal contribution by the

members both materially and intellectually. By and large, C3S has achieved “Much

more with much less”. This has been possible entirely because of the voluntary

DIRECTOR’S NOTE

7

”

support by the members and the whole hearted support by a dedicated team of young

researchers who have put in their best efforts to serve our mission and vision. This

has also been complemented by C3S reaching out to other institutions and colleges to

conduct joint programmes with the objective of reaching out to the youth who look

for quality inputs on China related issues. C3S is also in the process of signing MoU

with the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and other likeminded institutes for

working together to pool in talent and resources for enhancing the quality of our

outputs.

The newsletters and other regular updates through our websites are being received by

a large number of readers and the feedback has been very good. This has encouraged

us to add many more features to our website. The social media is being well utilized to

remain focused and relevant as we reach out to the netizens interested in bilateral and

multilateral dimensions of India-China relations. We continue to be interested in the

feedbacks on our work to ensure that we are able to meet the expectations of our

readers whose numbers are growing.

The fact that C3S was ranked 30th best think tank in 2018 amongst 90 think tanks

considered from Japan, South Korea, China and India in a Think Tank survey

conducted by Think Tanks and Civil Societies Programme (TTCSP), University of

Pennsylvania, is very encouraging to those involved with the activities of C3S. In the

same year, C3S was also ranked 48th independent global think tank amongst 145

independent think tanks around the world. This is definitely a recognition of the

outstanding work being done by the think tank with limited staff and budget.

We in C3S rededicate ourselves to contributing to better understanding of our

neighbour China thus allowing for appropriate options to be exercised by stake

holders based on quality inputs provided by the researchers of C3S.

Jai Hind.

Commodore R. S. Vasan IN (Retd.)

Former Regional Commander - Coast Guard Region (East)

Director, C3S.

8

Performance and Key Achievements

The Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S), in the financial year 2018-19 was able to continue its performance as a think tank and meet its goals. C3S is carving out a place for itself as a think tank, which presents a unique perspective to research, discussions and analysis on China related themes. The think tank‟s achievements have been listed to demonstrate its steady rise among the international academic community. C3S is indebted to MEA, Government of India, for the tranche received for supporting C3S activities. C3S received a grant-in-aid of Rs.12,00,000 from the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India as per sanction order quoted above. C3S looks forward to continued support from the MEA for future activities. During this year, C3S sustained its endeavor to bring out well-researched articles, monographs and publications by scholars and experts on China-related issues. These included Maritime Power, the Indo-Pacific, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Geo-strategic & Security Dynamics, Economy & Finance, Environment, Politics & Society and Culture.17events were organized by C3S in 2018-2019, as solo ventures or in partnership with other institutions/university/colleges. Of these 10 were international events. The events‟ takeaways are evidence of the quality of scholarly discussion and debate at C3S. The Honourable Minister of Defence, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman delivered the Keynote Address at the C3S 10th Anniversary Commemorative Seminar in June 2018.

14 publications have been brought out by C3S till 2018 alone. These are books, monographs and occasional papers including those by young scholars. 2018 saw 3 publications launched by the Honourable Minister of Defence at the C3S 10th Anniversary Commemorative Seminar. 7 more publications by C3S are in the publication process and will be brought out shortly. 88 articles were published on the C3S website. All publications are vigorously mentored, reviewed and approved by senior C3S members for guidance to the young researchers who author the works. The notable achievements of C3S are evidence of its outreach nationally and globally, which has prompted distinguished international scholars to visit the think tank. In the 2018 Global Think Tank Survey conducted by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania, C3S has been ranked the top 30th position among the 90 top think tanks in India, Japan, China and South Korea. C3S has also been ranked 45th out of 148 global think tanks as best independent research organization.

The platforms provided to the youth to succeed in research and analysis on China, are proving C3S to be a channel for growth for the young scholars. One forum is the Young Minds of C3S initiated in 2016, which now has over 200 members. Many former C3S interns and researchers have been awarded prestigious higher learning opportunities aboard, including China, thanks to their publications and other professional milestones achieved at the think tank.

Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S)

ACHIEVEMENT-CUM-PERFORMANCE REPORT (2018-2019)

9

C3S is the only think tank based out of Delhi that carries out a focused study of China

related dynamics. The Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S), registered under the

Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975 (83/2008 dated 4th April 2008), is a non-

profit public policy think tank. The profile of research and discussion activities at C3S

pivots on the in-depth study of developments relating to China with priority to issues

of interest to India including Business & Economics, Defence & Security, Geopolitics

& Strategy, Society & Politics, Science & Technology, Human Rights & Law, Culture

& History and Environment & Health.

C3S provides a forum for dialogue with Sinologists in India and abroad and gives

space for the expression of alternate opinions on China-related topics. Lecture

discussions and seminars on topics of current interest are organized, where

international and national experts share facts and perspectives. Interaction with

institutions of higher learning in South India is carried out to create awareness about

developments in China.

Publications are brought out relating to China – books, edited volumes, monographs,

occasional papers and online articles. C3S members and researchers are invited to

present papers and share their views at international and national conferences and

seminars.

C3S provides internships and is keen to sustain its aim of providing a platform for the

youth to develop research skills and enhance their understanding of China related

affairs.

Profile of the organization

10

Members

1. Mr B.S. Raghavan IAS (Retd.)- Patron; Former Policy Advisor to UN (FAO), Chief Secretary, State Governments of West Bengal and Tripura, Secretary to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Government of India

2. Prof. V. Suryanarayan- President; former Nelson Mandela Professor for Afro-Asian Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam; Former Director, Centre for South and South East Asian Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, India

3. Ambassador C. V. Ranganathan IFS (Retd.)-Vice-President; Former Ambassador of India to China.

4. Mr. M. R. Sivaraman IAS (Retd.)- Vice-President; Former Revenue Secretary, Ministry of Finance Govt. India

5. Commodore R. S. Vasan I.N. (Retd.)- Secretary and Director; Former Regional Commander, Coast Guard Region (East)

6. Mr K. Subramanian- Treasurer; Former Joint Secretary (Retd.), Ministry of Finance, Government of India

7. Mr T. Ananthachari IPS (Retd.)- Former Director-General, Border Security Force, Government of India

8. Col. R. Hariharan VSM, Retired Officer of Intelligence Corps, India

9. Air Marshal S. Varthaman PVSM AVSM VM VSM (Retd.)

10. Commander V. R. Jagadeesan, Indian Navy

(Retd.)

11. Mr. M. Ganapathi IFS (Retd.), Former Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

12. Prof. Ramu Manivannan, Head, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras

13. Dr. Indira Ravindran- Assistant Professor, School of International Relations and Public Affairs, Shanghai International Studies University, China

14. Dr. Alagu Peruamal- Assistant Professor of International Business, Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai

15. Dr. Vithal Rajan- OC, PhD [LSE] BA Hons

[McGill], Political Economist

16. Mr. L. V. Krishnan- Former Director – Safety Research Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam

17. Mr. T. S. Krishnamoorthy- Former Head, Analytical Chemistry, Bhabha Atomic Research Center (B.A.R.C)

18. Dr. Vinod Surana- Partner & Chief Executive Officer, Surana & Surana International Attorneys, International Law Centre

19. Mr. T. V. Krishnamurthy- Investment Banker and Business Strategist

20. Mr. Sunil Rallan- Managing Director – J Matadee Free Trade Zone Pvt. Ltd.

21. Mr. Tanvir Jai Kishan- Head – New Business Ventures, Chennai Free Trade Zone

22. Mr. Somi Hazari- MD Shosova Group of Companies; Senior Advisor (India), Transnational Strategy Group LLC

23. Mr. K. Satyanarayan- Director, New Horizon Media, Chennai

24. Mr. Rajaram Muthukrishnan- Investor and

Director, Voice Snap Services Pvt. Ltd,

Chennai

25. Mrs. Uma Balu- Founder and Director,

Sahara Asia

26. Mr. Ananth Krishnan-Visiting Fellow at

Brookings India

27. Mr. Subramanyam Sridharan- Former

Computer Scientist Retired from Leading

MNC

28. Mr. Rishi Athreya- Consultant, Public Sector Reform and Political Risk

11

1. Dr. Ashik J. Bonofer- Assistant Professor, Department of Political

Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai

2. Ms. Raakhee Suryaprakash- Chief Programming Officer, Red Elephant

Foundation; Founder-Director, „Sunshine Millennium‟

3. Dr. Indira A.- Consulting Economist, Bengaluru

4. Mr. Sundeep Kumar S.- PhD Scholar and Teaching Research Fellow,

Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Madras,

Chennai

1. Programme Director, Internships, C3S:

Ms. Asma Masood- M.A International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai

2. Mr. Rahul Karan Reddy- B.A International Relations and Journalism,

FLAME University, Pune

3. Ms. Maya K.- M.A International Studies, Christ University, Bengaluru

4. Mr. Aravindhan V. - M.A Politics with Specialization in International Relations, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Junior Research Fellowship-UGC

Research Officers

Associate Members

12

Maritime Power Play in the Indo-Pacific Area

C3S has studied the current scenarios and way ahead for India viz. China‟s presence in

the Indian Ocean Region. A maritime strategy was proposed for India‟s way ahead in

the Indo-Pacific area, given China‟s forays here. China‟s presence in the Indian

Ocean‟s military realm was studied, along with the impact of Pakistan‟s defence

procurements from China on India. There was light cast on the various elements for

securing India‟s interests in Indo-Pacific. The need for an enhanced maritime culture

among Indian citizens has been studied, alongside recommendations on this theme.

South Asia

Closer to home, there have been studies on Prime Minister Modi‟s foreign policy,

especially India‟s relations with its smaller neighbours and the „Neighbourhood First‟

policy. The Indian angle has been researched to offer solutions for issues stemming

from these neighbours‟ interactions with Beijing, be it at Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal,

the Colombo port city project, or Hambantota. The 2018 Maldivian elections have

also been analyzed in context of India and China. As inferenced by C3S research,

Doklam may have been the subtext of China‟s military drill in Tibet in June 2018, to

send a message to India that the disputed Bhutanese territory remains a potent point

of confrontation. The dynamics of the Bangladesh elections and Sheikh Hasina‟s

landslide victory were analyzed, while looking at perspectives from both the

Bangladeshi and Indian sides. A book compiling proceedings of a C3S conference

titled „Changing Asian Landscape: Role of India and China‟, edited by a C3S Research

Officer, has been published. A book has been written by a former C3S Research

Officer, which revolves around his field visit to the Brahmaputra River, and is

undergoing publication.

Southeast Asia

Beyond South Asia, the Southeast Asian region has been observed closely by C3S. It

has been studied how the Mekong Region is in the strategic forefront of India‟s

Southeast Asia Policy. It has been derived that Vietnam is country which prizes its

multilateral relations, be it with India, USA, China, Russia and Japan. The way ahead

Research Profile (FY2018-2019)

13

for Vietnam to respond to Beijing‟s South China Sea actions is explored. The

background, dynamics and current scenarios of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar have

been analyzed in context of major regional and extra-regional powers, and

recommendations for India. An overview of the 21st ASEAN-China Summit revealed

how the event reflected the dynamics involving ASEAN, China and U.S.A in the

region, with the balance currently tilted in China‟s favour despite discontent among

some ASEAN countries. Similarly, there appears to be a shadow cast over global

consensus on economic growth, as seen at the APEC Forum 2018: it was studied how

the U.S-China standoff caused divisions in multilaterism, and how it is imperative for

U.S.A to support India‟s entry into APEC.

Geo-strategic & Security Dynamics

C3S analyzes Prime Minister Modi‟s foreign policy moves in context of China. These

include his February 2018 visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the meeting with Chinese

President Xi Jinping at the Wuhan Summit, the interaction with Russia‟s President

Putin, and India-USA relations. The future for India‟s civil-military relations has been

suggested, with China in the spotlight. Similarly, the urgency for India to enhance its

armed forces‟ modernization and defence budget have been highlighted. The pitfalls

of Pakistan‟s deepening of ties with China were seen parallel to Islamabad‟s relations

with USA.A study was done on how China is increasingly using global summits to not

only build its image and reduce international pressure on itself, but also to exclude

India from vital platforms and decision-making. C3S members and young scholars

discussed multi-faceted perspectives on the Belt and Road Initiative, and concluded

that while India cannot compromise on her sovereignty, there needs to be pragmatic

engagement with China. The implications of INF Treaty withdrawal by U.S.A on

India have been scrutinized, while analyzing the geopolitical situation in Asia. It was

described how, in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, that the direct support for

JeM from the Pakistani military and political leaders as well as the indirect but crucial

support extended by China consistently and for over one-and-a-half decades at the

UN Security Council to a well-known terrorist, are the real causes for the grievous

turn of events.

Economy & Finance

On the subregional front, an issue-mapping exercise is carried out by C3S to pinpoint

how to overcome the oft-neglected barriers to BIMSTEC‟s success, and pragmatic

solutions for the way ahead for India‟s role as a regional leader. This work on

14

BIMSTEC includes research on the China factor. China‟s rise in the international

monetary system and its implications on other economies has been emphasized. On

an intersectional note, the legal perceptions on a progressive intellectual property

rights regime in China is studied, by breaking the subject into realms of investment,

education, innovation and technology development. The consequences of

interlinkages between Pakistan‟s worsening economy and Chinese designs in Gilgit&

Baltistan are explored. It was highlighted how there are opportunities for convergence

in BRICS, while there also exist challenges due to complexities in India-China

relations. C3S researchers traced China‟s policies and the evolution of women‟s

employment in the country, which was found to be wanting for a holistic socio-

economic balance. Three C3S interns under the banner of C3S had their well-

researched monograph published on „The Other Great Wall: China‟s Urban-Rural

Divide‟. Similarly, another research intern has had his book published, titled „The

Pursuit of Prosperity: Exploring China‟s Economic Dependence on India as a

Deterrent to Conflict‟. This book is substantiated with in-depth original data on the

theme, and has been regarded as a work worthy of a PhD thesis, by senior C3S

members.

Politics and Society

A member of Young Minds of C3S who was former C3S Research Officer, has

written a book (to be published shortly) on „The Children of the Middle Kingdom:

Ethnicity and Nationalism in People‟s Republic of China‟- it details the socio-political

issues pertaining to different ethnic groups within Mainland China. Notably, this is his

second publication, the first being a monograph titled „The Fight for the Badlands:

Conflict Resolution and Security Along The Line of Actual Control‟. Such is the

encouragement given to youth to avail of employment/internship opportunities at

C3S as a stepping stone in their research careers. Another young scholar, an intern has

analyzed the synergy of China‟s political and economic systems. An issue-mapping

exercise was conducted on the participation of women in China‟s political domain,

while examining prospects for the country to adopt a feminist foreign policy similar to

the recent move by Sweden.

Environment

China‟s new Environment Tax Law is put under the C3S lens, while studying Indian

legislation issues which need to be resolved before containing pollution. Research is

carried out to study how China‟s decision to ban the import of waste plastic for

15

recycling will have ripple effects throughout developed Western countries and India.

It is found that India has many lessons to emulate from China‟s green growth strategy.

An occasional paper, “China‟s Global Energy Pursuits” has been written by C3S

interns and is being prepared for publication. It has analyzed China‟s green energy

pursuits within its borders, compared to the country exporting polluting industries.

C3S members also discussed how China exports polluting coal technology, yet

carefully shapes responses to climate change while implementing projects in a time

bound manner.

Culture

C3S researchers have compiled perspectives on the need for the think-tank to carry

out research and activities on cultural themes related to China. Various views were put

forth on the value that a cultural focus brings to the study of security, trade and other

socio-economic factors. A C3S Manifesto on this subject has been documented. C3S

has researched how China is detaining Uyghur youth studying abroad, and the

implications for global liberty of knowledge. The various dimensions related to Indian

and Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia are scrutinized, vis-à-vis economic relations,

soft power and opportunities for India. As researched by C3S, there are myriad

channels for South Asian countries to optimize people-people relations by replicating

each others‟ successful development models; be it in agriculture, skill-training,

environment, health, sanitation or tourism. This research work includes drawing a

contrast with the Chinese soft power approach to the region. Despite China

promoting a singular identity, C3S points at the existence of the many ethnic

minorities in the country. Research methodologies pertaining to cultural studies are

examined. A monograph on “Dharma Diplomacy: Buddhism in India and China”,

which is on the publication anvil has been brought out by a C3S intern.

16

S.No. Date Event Venue Partner

1. 2nd May 2018

Informal Interaction with Ms. Shiho Bamba, Consul, Consulate-General of Japan, Chennai

C3S -

2. 4th May 2018

Roundtable Discussion with Chinese Delegation on ‘India-China: Cross-country Scenarios in Gender Equality’

C3S Red Elephant Foundation (REF)

3. 8th-9th June 2018

C3S 10th Anniversary Commemorative Event- International Seminar on ‘Trends & Transformations in China’s Geopolitics, Strategy, Society & Business’

Savera Hotel, Chennai

National Maritime Foundation -Tamil Nadu (NMF-TN)

4. 27th July 2018

Lecture-discussion on “Rise of China in the International Monetary System and Implications for other Economies” led by Mr V. Srinivas IAS, Chairman, Board of Revenue for Rajasthan and Chairman, Rajasthan Tax Board

Southern India Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI), Chennai

SICCI

5. 12thSepte

mber 2018 One Day Conference on "The Dynamics of Identity: Culture, Continuity and Challenges in the Tibetan Community"

Margaret Hall, Madras Christian College (MCC)

Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), Dharamshala and the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College (MCC)

6. 11th December 2018

Lecture-Discussion on “Role of Foreign Capital in the Economic Transformation of Sri Lanka”, led by Dr. A. S. Chandrabose, Senior Lecturer in Social Studies, Department of Social Studies, The Open University of Sri Lanka. This was followed by a Book Launch of “150 years of Indian Tamil presence in Sri Lanka”, edited by Dr. A. S. Chandrabose and R. Ramesh

C3S Center for Asia Studies (CAS)

7. 22nd December 2018

Commemorative Event on "Three decades of India-China Science and Technology (S&T) Cooperation: Trends and Prospects"

Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc)

National Maritime Foundation (NMF)

Events (FY2018-2019)

17

S.No. Date Event Venue Partner

8. 11th January 2019

Lecture discussion on “China's growing influence in international lending institutions and differences in approach” led by Dr Maaike Okano-Heijmans, Senior Scholar at Clingendael Institute, Netherlands

Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IJCCI)

Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IJCCI), and the Center for Asia Studies

9. 31st January 2019

International Conference on “Why Think Tanks Matter in Electoral Politics: Facts and Issues”

Press Institute of India, Chennai

The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania (TTCSP); Press Institute of India (PII) and National Maritime Foundation (NMF)

10. 4th February 2019

Round-table Discussion on the “Development of Chinese Studies in India” led by Dr. Reena Marwah, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi, and ICSSR Senior Fellow at the Centre for Development Studies

C3S Centre for Asia Studies (CAS)

11. 9th February 2019

3rd C3S International Cultural Conference on “Know Thy Neighbour: Growth of India & China: Socio-Cultural Percepts and Propositions”

Academy Hall, S.I.E.T Campus, Chennai

CITIZENARTS, New York; and the Department of Political Science, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed (JBAS) College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai

12. 19th February 2019

Lecture-Discussion on “Bodhidharma” led by Dr. T. Kambe, Director of the Bodhidharma Dojo Foundation and former Professor of Physics at the University of Tokyo

C3S -

13. 25th February 2019

Roundtable Discussion on “Chinese Goods – now make in India and create jobs” led by Mona Dikshit, Program Coordinator, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies (RGICS), New Delhi

C3S -

14. 12th March 2019

C3S–Imperium 2019 China Quiz

St Thomas’s Hall, Madras Christian College (MCC)

Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College (MCC)

15. 4thMarch2019 – 28th March 2019

Academic visit to C3S by Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working for Swiss newspaper Le Temps, to learn and exchange views on India-China relations. He presented a paper at an International Conference (see March 28th 2019 event in this table).

C3S -

16. 19th March 2019

Roundtable Discussion on “Perceptions of India-China Relations”, led by Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working for Swiss newspaper Le Temps

C3S -

17. 28th March 2019

International Conference on “Securing India’s Maritime Neighbourhood: Challenges and Opportunities”

AV Complex, INS Adyar, Chennai

Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, University of Madras; and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF)

18

China and the Future

Examining China‟s changing economic landscape makes clear the centrality of Xi Jinping‟s vision

of rejuvenation. China‟s leadership through Xi Jinping, his „Chinese Dream‟, the emphasis on

perceived Chinese special characteristics, the country‟s technological advancements, and its global

outreach would shape the future of China as an international player of relevance.

The path of modernization in China has allowed it to play the role of a mediator or negotiator in

conflicts around the world. The roadmap of China‟s modernization emphasizes indigenization of

innovative S&T, quantum technology and ship building.

Maritime Security

With China‟s forays into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and assertive engagement of India‟s

neighbours, India‟s contribution as a net security enabler needs to be sustained via consolidating

regional support in the IOR through bilateral arrangements and institutional mechanisms with a

target set for 2047. Such arrangements and mechanisms will help offset Chinese maneuvers in the

IOR. For instance, when large Chinese fleets start moving between harbours built by China in

Eastern Bay of Bengal region, risks increase for fishing due to hazard of shipping accidents which

are already increasing.

Developing long-term military relationships with the extended neighbourhood will improve

India‟s domain awareness and interoperability. These linkages will be effective to further an

institutional mechanism in the future.

There needs to be increased development of India‟s fisheries, inland waterways and mercantile

marine as force multipliers, to maximize impact of maritime security/stability goals.

There is a need for India to increase its outreach to its coastal areas in indigenous languages.

India needs to develop optimum responses to China‟s move of using fisheries as a strategic tool.

For instance, China prefers to exclude India in international fora

including FAO where Nepal which is not even a seafaring nation

was chosen over India on matters related to food and agriculture.

Takeaways from Events

19

Belt and Road Initiative and India’s responses

Given the projected long-term timeline of the BRI, India too needs to chalk out long-term

responses, given that there are military implications stemming from the Chinese initiative, which

include dual-use assets, expeditionary capability, and protection of China's assets.

The operation of Chinese diplomacy is likely to change considering the adaptive nature of

China‟s foreign policy ventures such as the BRI. This has come about due to the reaction and

apprehensions of other countries regarding China‟s infrastructure and debt diplomacy. India

needs to tackle the perceptions that it is losing out in its own backyard, due to such adaptive

nature in China.

India can employ opportunities to increase its FDI in Sri Lanka, especially in tourism, logistics, IT

and food processing. This will propel India-Sri Lanka relations to a higher level, given Chinese

influence in the island nation. It is essential for India to take note of the fact that Sri Lanka has

even given citizenship to upto 1000 Chinese persons, while there are 75,000 Chinese semi-skilled

workers in Sri Lanka. As many Chinese and Indian workers are coming to Sri Lanka, the issue of

labour migration in the small nation has to be reduced when India‟s FDI is increased.

India, while sustaining its stand on the BRI can keep track of development along the project,

including domestic shifts in China due to BRI. For instance, there are doubts cast on the

initiative, as the BRI passes extensively through interior parts of China, where the majority

population are non-Hans who have lower purchasing power parity. On the international front,

China is going full steam to build ports and infrastructure in East African countries such as

Congo and Djibouti. One driver is the cobalt resources in these countries which are a vital

component for energy batteries in electric vehicles which may replace conventional transport in

China in future.

Economy and Finance

There is a need to track the trends rather than just numbers to fully understand the nature of

Chinese investments in India. A significant amount of investments do not go on record due to

the existence of trade on high seas and other routes of indirect investment. For example, Alibaba

invests from its California outlet so India is not able to fully capture its investment on paper as a

Chinese investment

A multilateral open-ended investment fund for the economic sector initiated by India and Japan

would pave the way for developing economies to examine alternative investment avenues which

are benign unlike the Chinese investments which seem to lead these countries toward debt trap.

There are serious concerns regarding Chinese shadow banking transactions and volatile stock

market swings. It is essential to note how these phenomena could pose spillover effects to the

world economy.

As of 2018, China is looking at gaining a total of 12% vote share (currently 6.09%) after the

conclusion of the 15th Quota and Voice Reforms of the IMF. This worries Japan (6.15% of vote

share), as then China would eclipse it by 6% and become the second largest vote-share holder in

the IMF.

20

Markets in China offer business opportunities that will leverage consumer demand for products,

thus reducing India‟s trade deficit with China. For instance the food and beverages industry:

China‟s people adopt food as a lifestyle, even a fashion. Plant-based drinks such as from wheat

grass are gaining popularity. The vegan trend is new in China. Publishing offers another avenue

for Indian investment, given the number of publishing houses and publications have grown

tremendously in China, both in Mandarin Chinese and in foreign languages. One trigger for this

is that China has a highly literate society.

India needs to enhance its own infrastructure, by enhancing planning and execution of projects

through time management and effectiveness of the implementation process. India has an edge

over China in infrastructure, given that infrastructure development in India is based on the needs

of those at the lower strata, while in China, a top-down approach has been adopted.

The poor interpretation of rules and procedures by Indian embassy officials has made citizens

and officials of other countries reluctant to work with Indian embassies. On the other hand,

China‟s diplomatic machinery has made others countries more willing to do business with the

Chinese. India needs to address the gaps for enhancing trade linkages with other nations.

The Indian government needs to relieve local political differences that stand in the way of

agreements such as the Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) from being implemented. This would

in turn help fast forward initiatives such as BIMSTEC.

For India, a bilateral approach to initiatives and agreements may produce better results, which

will in turn assist progress at the multilateral level.

India would gain by recalibrating its business culture. If core issues are not solved, the probability

of Chinese businesses taking off in India is also very small. Recommendations include reducing

bureaucratic hurdles while applying for approvals, easing land acquisition, swift and sustained

government support for new enterprises, using new concepts such as office-space sharing and

renting factory space to maximize resources. These will enable timely, profitable resultsand

ensure the product idea does not expire while waiting for implementation.

New investments in India can focus on MSMEs which would help manufacturers overcome

challenges such as competition with the Chinese industries in the lower market, overcome the

negative impact of China dumping its products in the Indian market at low prices and low

productivity issues. Small industries need to overcome their problems in the initial stages in order

to succeed.

Bilateral cultural nuances cannot be ignored in economic relations. For example Gujarat is being

promoted as a prime investment destination yet the state does not cater to the food consumption

habits of visiting Chinese businessmen.

21

Trade relations in various sectors between India and China will also open up new avenues of

people-to-people interaction.

Tibet

It is clear that Tibet‟s militarized status through reorganized military theatres has strategic

implications for India‟s position on the border.

While India recognizes Tibet as part of China, a need is felt for sustaining Tibetan cultural

practices including the language and other traditions.

Science and Technology

In the Science & Technology realm, greater cooperation between India and China is possible in

civilian sectors given both sides could set aside obstacles and differences. Collaborations with

Universities and start-ups in China are identified as an area of common interest and mutual gain.

Transitioning to new sectors like AI, IoT, Robotics, and Big Data has become imperative to drive

the global economy. The role of private investment in such ventures is indispensable. These are

areas which lend themselves to possible channels of collaboration between India and China.

Role of Think Tanks

With India having the largest number of think tanks, and China not far behind, new

opportunities for synergizing to work on areas of mutual concerns/interests can be opened.

Informing public opinion to evaluate the policies and promises during the elections will improve

the visibility and experience of think tanks. Their social and economic capital will be benefitted

by an appreciative public, which works as a feedback mechanism.

Think Tanks can also introspect and analyze their coverage of the election process to introduce

transparency. Collaborating with civil society actors like consultancies will build such linkages and

benefit decision making.

Socio-Cultural Relations

At the moment, people to people (P2P) contact between India and China is not at an optimum

level. Enhanced contact between the people would be a foundation for better bilateral relations

and for promoting CBMs. This is a critical area for consideration by both the Asian powers that

are on a newfound positive trajectory.

Greater efforts to bridge the knowledge gap between India and China would reduce

misperceptions and appreciate India‟s soft power. For instance, while there is a suspicion within

India of China‟s cultural initiatives, there is a similar suspicion in China of the effect of India‟s

religions.

India can take note that students from Sri Lanka and other countries travelling to China to study

may develop a soft corner for China, as a result of the cultural soft power that Beijing exercises.

Therefore, the newer generations are likely to be swayed by the soft power approach and have a

22

benign view of China.

Tourism, education and language are key sectors of bilateral exchange and interaction. The fact

that many more Indian students today are looking at China as a destination for higher studies can

be used to bridge the gap for P2P relations. India can capitalize sites of archaeological and tourist

value in India, through which ancient Chinese has travelled. This would increase Chinese tourist

inflow. The number of Indians who are studying Mandarin is a very small number. There is a

need to encourage more students to take up study of Mandarin language by offering scholarships

and encouraging them to acquire the required language skills.

The state controlled media in China has not helped matters in promoting bilateral relations. The

media in both India and China need to act responsibly without distortion of facts to help

promote healthy relations between the two nations.

Gender issues

Indian society is open and there is room for criticism on gender issues, despite the lack of

substantial follow-up action. In contrast, Chinese society is closed with less access to external

observers, and this has not helped China change global perceptions of its how women are

treated. There is a need to bridge the gap between perceptions and reality via research. Change is

crucial at the grass-roots level in both countries. There have been many efforts to look inward in

India and closely examine gender issues due to civil activism, debates and social media. A similar

movement is perhaps happening in China through their own social media, while the extent to

which these discussions would influence the policy makers is not in the public domain. Both

countries‟ societies need to proactively pursue gender equality and this is an area where both

nations can learn from each other by exchanging scholars and social activists.

Gender issues are an opportunity to introduce greater accountability from the political system

and sensitize the public to women‟s empowerment.

23

Publication Profile till 2018

24

1. & 2. Ms. Akanksha Soni and Ms. Indira Tirumala- Graduated in B.A Economics from Stella

Maris College, Chennai; Completed Occasional Paper on “China‟s Global Energy Pursuits”

to be published shortly.

3. Mr. P. Joseph Mario Ritvik- Pursuing BBA, LLB (Hons) at VIT School of Law, Chennai;

Completed Monograph on “Whose Land, Which Law?: Legal Issues And Implications Of

the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)”, to be published shortly

4. Ms. Vaishnavi Pallapothu- Pursuing B.Sc. International Relations, University of London-

External; Completed Monograph on “Dharma Diplomacy: Buddhism in India and China” to

be published shortly.

5. Ms. Anitha Merciyal- Pursuing M.A International Relations, University of Madras; Published

article on “The Balancing Act: Synergy of China‟s Political and Economic Systems”

6. Ms. Anusha Sooriyan- Pursuing M.A Politics and International Relations, Pondicherry

University; Published article on “The Unofficial Ambassadors: A Comparative Study of

Indian and Chinese Diaspora In Southeast Asia”

7. Mr. Mohammed Faraz- Public Policy and Economic Development Professional; published

article on “Flavors of Chinese Foreign Policy in the Indian Ocean Region”

8. Mr. Francis Roy- Pursuing M.A Public Administration, Madras Christian College; published

article on “China & India: Power Play in Maldives”

9. Mr. Georgekutty Antony- Pursuing M.A Political Science, Madras Christian College;

published article on “Game of Loans: China – Sri Lanka Relations”

10. Ms. M. Poomagal- Pursuing M.A Defence and Strategic Studies, University of Madras;

published article on “The Status of North Korean Refugees in China”

11. Ms. Roshini Rajshri- Pursuing M.A Defence and Strategic Studies, University of Madras;

published article on “Bitcoins in China: Trends and Challenges”

12. Mr. Sai Sai Sri Ram Datla- Pursuing B.B.A (Major: Finance; Minor: International Relations),

FLAME University, Pune; Ongoing research for an article on “CPEC Energy Projects”

13. Ms. Shruthi Singhi- Pursuing B.A (Major: International Studies Minor: Literary and Cultural

Studies), FLAME University, Pune; Ongoing research for a monograph on “Will the Renmibi

Rise?”

14. Ms. Mahika Sri Krishna- Pursuing M.A International Security, Sciences Po University, Paris;

Ongoing research for an article on “China-India-Russia Relations”

15. Ms. Manushi Kapadia- Pursuing M.A Political Science and International Relations, ), Pandit

Deendayal Petroleum University, Ahmedabad; Ongoing research for an article on

“Environmental implications of China‟s geopolitical interest in the Arctic”

Interns (FY2018-2019)

25

16. Mr. Sandeep Alexander Shajan- Pursuing M.A Political Science and International Relations,

Pondicherry University; Ongoing research for an article on “Human Development Indices in

India and China”

17. Mr. Aravindhan V.- M.A Political Science specializing in International Relations, Jawaharlal

Nehru University, New Delhi. Recently employed as Research Officer, C3S; Ongoing

research for article on “India‟s Trade Deficit with China in Electronics and Steel”

26

28th March 2019- International Conference organized by C3S and National

Maritime Foundation (NMF) on “Securing India‟s Maritime Neighbourhood;

Challenges and Opportunities”, at INS Adyar, Chennai, which saw participation

of academics and serving and former naval officers.

8th February 2019- C3S organizes its Third Annual International Cultural

Conference on “Know Thy Neighbor- Growth of India & China: Socio-Cultural

Percepts and Propositions” in collaboration with CITIZENARTS, New York,

and the Department of Political Science, JBAS College, Chennai. The event cast

light on the economic and social dimensions related to culture, and shaped

pragmatic responses to enhancing India-China relations.

7th September 2018- Second Annual C3S Conference organized with Tibet

Policy Institute (TPI) at Chennai, on “Dynamics of Tibetan Identity”., based on

MoU signed the previous year.

1st September 2018- L&T commissions a study for C3S to examine

„Comparative Analysis of Ship-building and Repair Industry in China and India-

with a View to Refine India‟s Capabilities‟.

8th-9th June 2018- C3S 10th Anniversary Commemorative Seminar at Chennai,

where Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Honorable Minister of Defence, Government of

India, delivers the Keynote Address and launches 3 C3S publications by young

scholars.

1000+ is the number of global subscribers to the C3S Newsletter- Bamboo

Shoots. This number has been growing a steady pace, indicating the interest

worldwide in C3S research and activities.

No. 30 is the rank given to C3Samong top 90 think tanks in India, China, South

Korea and Japan, in the global ranking accorded by the Think Tank Civil Societies

Programme (TTCSP), announced via the 2018 Global Go To Think Tank Index

Report.

No. 48 is the position given to C3S out of the top 145 think tanks around the

world in the 2018 TTCSP rankings.

Notable Achievements

27

2 years in a row (2018, 2019) - C3S has been selected by TTCSP to host the

Annual „Why Think Tanks Matter‟ Forum in Chennai. The second edition of the

C3S hosted Chennai event saw participation by national and international

speakers on various dimensions of the importance of think tanks as civil society

actors in disseminating facts amidst electoral politics.

4- Number of times C3S has participated in the Annual TTCSP Conference. The

second, third and fourth instances had Cmde. R. S. Vasan IN (Retd.), Director,

C3S participate at New Delhi (2019) and Bali (2018) respectively, as well at

Singapore. The first time saw participation at New Delhi of Col. R. Hariharan

VSM (Retd.), Member, C3S and Late Shri D. S. Rajan, Distinguished Fellow, C3S

(2015).

2- Number of years Cmde. Vasan, Director, C3S participated in the Asia-Pacific

Think Tank Forum, held at Taipei, with the second occasion in 2018. Each time,

51 think tanks took part from 17 countries. Out of these, C3S has been one of the

only 3 think tanks were invited from India (the others being Observer Research

Foundation and Delhi Policy Group).

69- Number of students who participated as 23 teams from 7 colleges from

Chennai and Malappuram, Kerala in the 3rd C3S Annual China Quiz, held with

the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College.

254 is the membership number to which the „Young Minds of C3S‟programme

has grown in FY 2018-2019, since its inception in 2016. The youth forum of C3S,

apart from engaging in events and research, is involved in dialogue on China-

related issues via virtual platforms.

22 young scholars were guided in FY2018-2019 alone via C3S‟ Internship

Program. 50+ Interns have been mentored by C3S members since 2015, on

identified issues viz. China. They include young scholars from not only India but

also Canada, Singapore, France and Belgium. They bring out books, monographs,

occasional papers and research articles under the aegis of C3S.

9 students are taking Mandarin Course, conducted at C3S. They are being

prepared for taking the HSK 2 examination at the end of 2018.

6 young researchers have passed through the corridors of C3S until 2018 onto

noteworthy heights: 3 have been awarded PhD scholarships by China and have

begun their higher academic journeys [Mr. Vithiyapathy Puroshothman, PhD

scholar, School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Science and

Technology of China (USTC), Hefei, PRC (his C3S publications include an

28

Occasional Paper titled India‟s Strategic Guardian of the Sky: IRNSS); Ms.

Monika Reddy, PhD scholar on International Relations , Central China Normal

University, Wuhan, PRC; and Mr. Nagamalleswara Rao, PhD scholar on

International Politics, Shandong University, PRC]. 2 young scholars are pursuing

Master‟s degree in Netherlands [Mr. Vishwesh Sundar, studying M.A International

Relations, Leiden University, The Hague (his C3S Publications include an

Occasional Paper titled India‟s Engagement in the South China Sea Dispute); and

Ms. Nappinnai Dhamodharan, student of Research Masters degree in Economics

and Philosophy, Erasmus University, Rotterdam (her C3S Publications include a

co-authored Monograph titled The Other Great Wall: China‟s Urban-Rural

Divide]. Mr. Anirudh R., a former intern who later became a C3S research officer

is now studying his Master‟s degree in Asian Studies at the University of Western

Australia - notably; this researcher has brought out 2 books via C3S on China

themes- The Fight for the Badlands:Conflict Resolution and Security along the

Line of Actual Control; and an upcoming C3S publication- A Book of Essays on

The Children of the Middle Kingdom: Towards a Consciousness Based Collapse Model of

Identity Creation with Reference to Ethnicity and Nationalism in the People’s Republic of

China.

5 educational institutions from South India with which C3S has partnered for

national seminars- Dept. of Media, M.O.P Vaishnav College, Chennai; Dept. of

Politics, Madras Christian College; Dept. of Political Science, Justice Basheer

Ahmed Sayeed (JBAS) College, Chennai; Dept. of Political Science and Public

Administration, University of Madras; and Dept. of Defence and Strategic

Studies, University of Madras.

25 days- Time period spent by Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian national working

for Le Temps, a Swiss daily newspaper, with C3S members and young scholars in

March 2019, for exchanging knowledge and perspectives on India-China relations.

29

Commodore R. S. Vasan IN (Retd.),

Director, C3S Articles:

Full text of Special Address deliveredat the International Conference on “Soft Power and Public Diplomacy in India and China” organised by Department of International Relations, Central University of Jharkhand in collaboration with the Department of Education, Central University of Jharkhand, co-sponsored by Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi & Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi, at Ranchi, February 21-22 2019

Full text of Keynote address delivered at the 50th anniversary Commemorative event on “Coastal Security, Indian Oceanic Nations & Coastal Community”, 27th October 2018

“Maldives Elections 2018 and the changing contours of India-China power play in the Indian Ocean”, C3S, September 25 2018

“Maritime Strategy for India, China and Japan in the Indo-Pacific Region”, C3S, July 3 2018

“Japan-India Maritime Cooperation”, Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IJCCI), May 7 2018

Events:

Participated at International Conference on „Securing India‟s Maritime Neighbourhood: Challenges and Opportunities‟, organized by C3S, National Maritime Foundation (NMF) and Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, University of Madras, at INS Adyar, Chennai, on March 28 2019

Inaugural Address at Seminar on Coast Guards of the World, organized by Indian CG, at Regional HQ-CG, Chennai

Talk on “Anti-piracy” at Indian Maritime University, Chennai, March 1 2019

Participated at 4th edition of Raisina Dialogue, New Delhi, January 8-10 2019

Participated at Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue, Annual NMF Flagship Event at Delhi organized along with Indian Navy, March 5-6 2019

Delivered Plenary Address at Seminar on “India‟s Strategic Culture & Policy Options”, organized by Pondicherry University, Puducherry, February 25-27 2019

Special Address at International Conference on “Soft Power and Public Diplomacy” organized by Central University of Jharkand, co-organized by ICWA and ICSSR, at Ranchi, February 21-22 2019

Presented paper on “India‟s initiative for Security and Stability in the Indo-Pacific”, at Asia Defence Expo & Conference Series (ADECS) event, Singapore, January 29-30 2019

Presented paper at 2nd NMF-RIIO Dialogue, New Delhi, January 14-15 2019

Participated at 3rd India-China Think Tank Dialogue, organized by ICWA, at Sapru House, New Delhi, December 20-21 2018

Activity Profile of Members and Researchers

30

Valedictory Address at International Conference on “Indo-ASEAN Relations”, organized by University of Kerala, at Trivandrum, November 13-14 2018

Keynote Address at Jawaharlal Nehru Rashtriya Mahavidyalaya during International Seminar on “Coastal Security, Indian Ocean Nations and Coastal Community”, at Port Blair, October 27-28 2018

Presented paper on “Challenges in Maritime Border Management” at event on „Border Management and Technology‟ organized by IntelligenceSec, Delhi, October 4-5 2018

Presented paper on “Maritime Security and South China Sea”, at Asia Pacific Think Tank Forum (APTTF), Taipei, September 29-30 2018

Talks on “Anti-piracy” at Indian Maritime University, Chennai, September 13 & 18 2018

Talk on “Media Management”, Academy of Maritime Education, Training and Technology, Chennai, August 31 2018

Presented paper on “China-India Maritime Cooperation Challenges and Opportunities, Formulating MCBMs”, National Maritime Foundation-AWW Dialogue, August 24 2018

Talks on “Anti-piracy” at Indian Maritime University, Chennai, August 2 & July 30 2018

Talk on “China‟s History” at Higher Air Command Course, Secundarabad, July 24 2018

Presented paper on “Lessons from Cyclone Ockhi” at 7th International Search and Rescue Conference, Kuala Lumpur, July 10-12 2018

Panelist on “Maritime Law” at Maritime Warfare Center, Kochi, July 5 2018

Inaugural Address at C3S 10th Anniversary Commemorative International Seminar on “Trends & Transformations in China‟s Geo-Politics, Strategy, Society & Business”, organized by C3S and National Maritime Foundation-Tamil Nadu (NMF-TN), June 8-9 2018, at Hotel Savera, Chennai. Event graced by India‟s Defence Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman

Inaugural Address at event on “History of Indian Air Force”, a Colours of Glory event, Alliance Francaise, Chennai, May 7 2018

As Director, Asia Bureau of World Borderpol, participated at 6thBorderpol Global Forum, organized by World Borderpol, at Prague, April 11-12 2018

Meeting with JS(PP) and JS(EA), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, New Delhi, April 4 2018

Talk on BRI at Embassy of Spain, New Delhi, April 3 2018

Interviews given:

Interview given on „India-China Relations‟ on March 25 2019 at C3S, to Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working for Swiss newspaper Le Temps, who visited C3S from March 4-28 2019 to learn and exchange views on Sino-Indian relations

Interviews given to Tiranga TV on China, antiterrorism and security related issues

Interview given on “Indo-Pacific” for Asia Defence Expo & Conference Series (ADECS) website, Singapore, January 2019

Interview on “BRICS: Building Bridges or Widening Barriers?”, December 2018

Interview given to Ambassador Srinivasan, AsiaNet TV

31

Col. R. Hariharan VSM (Retd.) Member, C3S

Articles:

“Coming to terms with China: Modi's foreign policy initiatives in South Asia”, C3S and South Asia Analysis Group, April 26 2018

“India-China Ying-Yang in Tibet”, C3S and India Legal, August 7 2018

“Why India & China need to build 'Trust' & not just 'Confidence' in relations”, IndiaToday/DailyO, October 26 2018

Events:

Chair for session on “China‟s Geostrategy”, at C3S 10th Anniversary Commemorative International Seminar on „Trends & Transformations in China‟s Geo-Politics, Strategy, Society & Business‟, organized by C3S and National Maritime Foundation-Tamil Nadu (NMF-TN), June 8-9 2018, at Hotel Savera, Chennai

Inaugural Address delivered at International Conference on “Why Think Tanks Matter in Electoral Politics: Facts and Issues”, organized by C3S; the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania (TTCSP); Press Institute of India (PII) and National Maritime Foundation (NMF), January 31 2019 at PII.

Discussant at Roundtable Discussion on “Perceptions of India-China Relations” led by Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working for Swiss newspaper Le Temps. Event organized by C3S, March 19 2019, at C3S.

Interviews given and commentary:

“China's relations with Sri Lanka beyond debts”, Comments given to Sri Lankan columnist, April 10 2018

“Sri Lanka balancing relations with India and China & India & Gotabaya”, Interview given to Veera Kesari, July 26 2018

Mr. L. V. Krishnan Member, C3S Events:

Presentation on “Prospects for S&T Cooperation between India and China” at C3S event „Commemorating three decades of India-China S&T cooperation‟, organized by C3S and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), at Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, December 22 2018

Panelist on “Innovation: R&D Technology” at International Conference “Know thy Neighbour – Growth of India and China: Socio-cultural Perceptions and Propositions”, organized by C3S; CITIZENARTS, New York; and the Department of Political Science, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed (JBAS) College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai, at Academy Hall, S.I.E.T Campus, Chennai, February 9 2019

Other Activities:

National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)-CISAC Meeting on “Strategic Security Threats of 21st Century”; one of the topics being „Nuclear Safety and Security‟ May 2-4 2018

32

Presentation on “Communicating Nuclear Risk Management” at NIAS Meeting on „Radiation Risk – Communicating the Reality‟ May 17 2018

Presentation of views on “Science Diplomacy Initiative” at NIAS, August 23 2018

Presentation on “Proposal for Assistance in Nuclear Medicine” as part of New Initiative of NIAS on Science Diplomacy, September 24 2018

NIAS ISSSP Discussion meeting on “Uranium Constraints in Pakistan” October 11 2018

Presentation on “Nuclear Power and the Grid” at Niti Aayog Workshop on Optimal Energy Mix organised at NIAS, November 20 2018

Talk on “Nuclear Power and Energy Security” at NIAS event organized in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, December 6 2018

Talk on “Nuclear Power” at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai organized in collaboration with NIAS and Konrad Adenauer Foundation December 8 2018

Mrs. Uma Balu Member, C3S

Presentations / Speeches:

Speech on Bodhidharma - a Buddhist monk whose life connects India and China

Panelist on „Education Sector in China and India‟ at International Conference on “Know thy Neighbour – Growth of India and China: Socio-cultural Perceptions and Propositions”, organized by C3S; CITIZENARTS, New York; and the Department of Political Science, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed (JBAS) College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai, at Academy Hall, S.I.E.T Campus, Chennai, February 9 2019

Other China-related activities:

„Creative Classics of China‟ written for C3S website as a C3S & Sahara Asia joint initiative: A series of Chinese classics and poetry which are being translated and published in Tamil. First project initiated: 18th Century Mandarin Classic Dream of Red Mansions in Tamil (Preface, Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3)

Discussion on “Research on Chinese Culture” with Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working for Swiss newspaper Le Temps, who visited C3S from March 4-28 2019 to learn and exchange views on India-China relations.

Organized a C3S Lecture-discussion on “Bodhidharma‟s Life and Contribution” led by Kambe Sensei, Director of the Bodhidharma Dojo Foundation and former Professor of Physics at the University of Tokyo

Planning ongoing -Chinese library (Books and Films)- a C3S & Sahara Asia joint initiative

Planning ongoing -Chinese Film Festival - a C3S & Sahara Asia joint initiative

Planning ongoing- Indian students on a Study & Sightseeing visit to China - a C3S & Sahara Asia joint initiative in association with Mr. Bikash Kali Das, Founder and Secretary, Pondicherry India China Friendship Association (PICFA); Member, Young Minds of C3S

Ms. Raakhee Suryprakash Associate Member, C3S Events:

Conducted the C3S China Quiz prelims and finals as part of Imperium 2019, the intercollegiate competition organized by the Department of Political Science of Madras Christian College (MCC) on March 12, 2019.

33

Chaired the Plenary Session III –“Soft Power and Cultural Dynamics,” covered the conference live on the C3S Facebook page and gave a short summing up of the 3rd C3S International Cultural Conference “Know Thy Neighbour: Growth of India & China: Socio-Cultural Percepts and Propositions.” held on February 9th, 2019, jointly organized by C3S; CITIZENARTS, New York; and the Department of Political Science, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed (JBAS) College for Women (Autonomous).

Abstract on “Reviving the Culture of Being at One with Nature in Asia: Tamil Traditions” was selected for the Asian Conference on Cultural Studies 2019 (ACCS2019) to be held in Tokyo, May 24-26, 2019.

January 20, 2019: Curated the 3rd Session of the Red Elephant Foundation‟s (REF) Feminifesto Seminar Club with the presentation by former C3S Research Officer Anuja Gurele on her recent publication the C3S Issue Map “Politics & Feminism in China – Will Women Hold Up Half the Sky?” followed by a discussion on the points revealed.

Visited the Embassy of the People‟s Republic of China on November 16, 2018 as part of the 1st China-India Youth Dialogue 2018 delegation of 60 young people which was organized by the Confederation of Young Leaders. Selected from a pool of over 2800 applications. Following a short tour of the largest embassy complex in India, and the inaugural session with the Chinese Ambassador H.E. Luo Zhaohui, she participated in the discussion on "Trade, Investment, Entrepreneurship; Science and Technology Cooperation" with the aim to learn more about China's Sustainable Development & Climate Action strategies & it's methods to tackle Air Pollution as well as implications of its solid waste import ban including plastic waste. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6473080015083880448

Abstract on “Environmental Science, Technology & Innovation in China: Fixing What‟s Broke” was selected for the 11th All India Conference on China Studies (AICCS) at Christ University, Bengaluru.

Articles:

“Assessing China‟s Recent Efforts to Protect Its Environment via the Indian Lens”, Young Minds of C3S Medium page, May 3 2018

“The China Effect on First World Plastic Consumption & Recycling Patterns”, C3S,

June 5, 2018

“Lessons for India from Chinese Environmental Innovation”, C3S, August 10, 2018

“China, Coal and COP24: Some Takeaways for India and the International Community”, January 2 2019

“The Feminifesto Seminar Club: Session 3- Assessing Politics and Feminism in China”, Red Elephant Foundation, January 28 2019

“C3S China Quiz 2019 Event Report”, C3S, March 27 2019

Guiding Research of C3S Interns:

Guided the research and wrote the Foreword for the Occasional Paper by interns Akanksha Soni and Indira Tirumala “China‟s Global Energy Pursuits.”

Guiding the research “Environmental Implications of China‟s Geopolitical Interests in the Arctic” of intern Manushi Kapadia, Masters Student, International Relations and Political

34

Science, School of Liberal Studies, PanditDeendayal Petroleum University, Gandhinagar, Gujarat

Editing:

Copyedited the manuscript “Brahmaputra: The Strategic Water Resource of India” by former C3S Research Officer and PhD Scholar in China Vithyapathy P. , to be published shortly

C3S Facebook Page Management:

The C3S page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/c3sindia/) which I started on July 19, 2014 now has 962 page likes and 969 page followers.

Ms. Asma Masood Research Officer, C3S Programme Director, Internships, C3S

Internship direction:

Mentored 50+ interns at C3S since 2015, with 22 in FY2018-2019 alone.

Wrote Foreword for the following publications: The Pursuit of Prosperity: Exploring China's Economic Dependence on India as a Deterrent

to Conflict; by Uday Khanapurkar, KW Publishers, 2018

The Other Great Wall: China's Urban-Rural Divide; by Nappinnai Dhamodharan, Kritajnya Raghunathan and Akanksha Soni, KW Publishers, 2018

Books/other publications

Editor of 14 publications till March 2019, since 2015. 3 are to be published shortly. 2018 publications include the following, which were launched by the Honourable Minister of Defense, Government of India, at the C3S 10th anniversary commemorative event: Changing Asian Landscape: Role of India and China, KW Publishers,

2018 The Pursuit of Prosperity: Exploring China's Economic Dependence on India as a Deterrent

to Conflict; by Uday Khanapurkar, KW Publishers, 2018

The Other Great Wall: China's Urban-Rural Divide; by NappinnaiDhamodharan, Kritajnya Raghunathan and Akanksha Soni, KW Publishers, 2018

Editor of following works, to be published shortly under the C3S banner:

Monograph on “Whose Land, Which Law?: Legal Issues And Implications Of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)”, by Mr. P. Joseph Mario Ritvik

Monograph on “Dharma Diplomacy: Buddhism in India and China”, by Ms. Vaishnavi Pallapothu

Occasional Paper on “China‟s Global Energy Pursuits”, by Ms. Akanksha Soni and Ms. Indira Tirumala

Articles/Papers/Abstracts:

“Remoulding Maritime Culture in the Indian Mind”, National Maritime Foundation and C3S; May 2 2018,

“China: The Source or Target of Pressure at Global Summits?”, C3S, December 10 2018

“An Open Letter to Aung San Suu Kyi”, Oped Column Syndication, January 8 2019

35

Paper submitted on 'Back to the Future: India-ASEAN Cultural and Civilization Relations', which was presented at Three Day International Seminar on “Act East Policy and India's Big Power Strategies” organized by Department of Political Science, University of Kerala, February 8-10 2018

Abstract selected for the paper on “In Science We Trust: Trends and Prospects in China-Iran Innovation Diplomacy”, for the 11th All India Conference of China Studies (AICCS), organized by Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), New Delhi, Christ University, Bengaluru, in collaboration with National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, November 15-17 2018, at Christ University, Bengaluru

Abstract selected for paper on “Nationalism in India and China: Boon or Bane for Soft power?”, for the Asian Conference on Asian Studies (ACAS2019), May 24-26 2019, Toshi Center Hotel, Tokyo

Events:

Discussant at Round-table Discussion on the “Development of Chinese Studies in India”, organized by C3S and the Center for Asia Studies (CAS) led by Dr. Reena Marwah, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi, and ICSSR Senior Fellow at the Centre for Development Studies, at C3S, February 4 2019

Summing up at One Day Conference on “The Dynamics of Identity: Culture, Continuity and Challenges in the Tibetan Community”, organized by C3S; the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), Dharamshala and the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College (MCC); at MCC on September 12 2018

Event coordination:

Roundtable Discussion with Chinese Delegation on „India-China: Cross-country Scenarios in Gender Equality‟, organized by C3S and Red Elephant Foundation, at C3S, on May 4 2018

Lecture-discussion on “Rise of China in the International Monetary System and Implications for other Economies”, organized by C3Sand theSouthern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), Chennai, at SICCI, on July 272018

International Conference on “Know thy Neighbour – Growth of India and China: Socio-cultural Perceptions and Propositions”, organized by C3S; CITIZENARTS, New York; and the Department of Political Science, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed (JBAS) College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai, at Academy Hall, S.I.E.T Campus, Chennai, February 9 2019

Interviews given:

Interview given for the first episode of the Red Elephant Foundation‟s Feminifesto Podcast (A podcast that chronicles women's voices and narratives in the domains of International Relations, Peacebuilding and Politics)- October 5 2018

Interview given on „China‟s Soft Power‟ to Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working for Swiss newspaper Le Temps, who visited C3S from March 4-28 2019 to learn and exchange views on India-China relations

Not-for-attribution interview, April 16 2019, by a U.S research organization

Other activities:

Coordinated research direction and event planning at C3S

Coordinated social media for C3S- LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram

36

Coordinated C3S Newsletter- Bamboo Shoots, which currently has over a 1000 subscribers in India and around the world.

Mr. Rahul Karan Reddy Research Officer, C3S

Articles/Issue Maps:

Issue Map on “Acting Beyond Borders- An Action Plan for Reorienting BIMSTEC”, C3S, October 18 2018

Ongoing research for an article for C3S on “A One-Way Ticket to the Chinese Dream: China‟s Railway Reforms”

Events:

Discussant at Round-table Discussion on the “Development of Chinese Studies in India”, organized by C3S and the Center for Asia Studies (CAS) led by Dr. Reena Marwah, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi, and ICSSR Senior Fellow at the Centre for Development Studies, at C3S, February 4 2019

Panelist on “Extra - Regional Presence in India‟s Maritime Neighbourhood; Assessment of Impact” at Panel Discussion on „Young Minds Outlook on India, China and Maritime Security‟ at International Conference on „Securing India‟s Maritime Neighbourhood: Challenges and Opportunities‟, at INS Adyar, Chennai, on March 28 2019

Event coordination:

Coordinated One Day Conference on “The Dynamics of Identity: Culture, Continuity and Challenges in the Tibetan Community”, organized by C3S; the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), Dharamshala and the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College (MCC); at MCC on September 12 2018

International Conference on “Why Think Tanks Matter in Electoral Politics: Facts and Issues”, organized by C3S; the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, University of Pennsylvania (TTCSP); Press Institute of India (PII) and National Maritime Foundation (NMF), at PII on January 31 2019

Other activities:

Updates of C3S on Twitter Ms. Maya K. Research Officer, C3S Articles/Papers:

“ASEAN-China Summit 2018: A Resilient Region amidst Rising Tensions?”, C3S, December 7 2018

Co-authored a research paper with Ms. AnujaGurele, former Research Officer, C3S, on “Role of Host Countries in Preserving the Identity of Tibetans Overseas”, which was presented at a One Day Conference on “The Dynamics of Identity: Culture, Continuity and Challenges in the Tibetan Community”, organized by C3S; the Tibet Policy Institute (TPI), Dharamshala and the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College (MCC); at MCC on September 12 2018

37

Event coordination:

Lecture-Discussion on “Role of Foreign Capital in the Economic Transformation of Sri Lanka”, organized by C3S and Center for AsiaStudies (CAS), led by Dr. A. S. Chandrabose, Senior Lecturer in Social Studies, Department of Social Studies, The Open University of Sri Lanka, at C3S on December 11 2018. This was followed by a Book Launch of “150 years of Indian Tamil presence in Sri Lanka”, edited by Dr. A. S. Chandrabose and R. Ramesh

Lecture-Discussion on “China's growing influence in international lending institutions and differences in approach”, organized by C3S, Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IJCCI) and CAS, led by Dr. Maaike Okano-Heijmans, Senior Scholar at Clingendael Institute, Netherlands, at IJCCI on January 11 2019

Lecture-Discussion on “Bodhidharma” led by Dr. T. Kambe, Director of the Bodhidharma Dojo Foundation and former Professor of Physics at the University of Tokyo, at C3S, on February 19 2019

Co-coordinator for the International Conference on “Know Thy Neighbor- Growth of India & China: Socio-Cultural Percepts and Propositions”, jointly organized by C3S; CITIZENARTS, New York; and the Department of Political Science, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed (JBAS) College for Women (Autonomous), at S.I.E.T Campus, February 9 2019

Other activities:

Updates of C3S on Instagram

Mr. Aravindhan V. Research Officer, C3S

As Intern, C3S:

Social media coverage of „Commemorating three decades of India-China S&T cooperation‟, organized by C3S and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), at Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, December 22 2018

As Research Officer, C3S:

C3SPodcast- Chinascapes- Episode 1, recorded in February 2019

Chair of Panel Discussion on „Young Minds Outlook on India, China and Maritime Security‟ at International Conference on „Securing India‟s Maritime Neighbourhood: Challenges and Opportunities‟, at INS Adyar, Chennai, on March 28 2019

Co-coordinator of International Conference on „Securing India‟s Maritime Neighbourhood: Challenges and Opportunities‟, at INS Adyar, Chennai, on March 28 2019

Completed article analyzing the 16th RIC summit, to be published shortly

Compiled report on Roundtable Discussion on “Perceptions of India-China Relations” led by Mr. Ram Etwareea, a Mauritian citizen working for Swiss newspaper Le Temps. Event organized by C3S, March 19 2019, at C3S

Other activities:

Updates of C3S on LinkedIn ■

38

Keep in touch!

Hang out with C3S on these social media links, for your

daily dose of China updates.

LinkedIn – c3sindia

Twitter - @c3schennai

Facebook - Chennai Centre for China Studies

Instagram - c3s.10

39

Front cover page image courtesy: nasa.gov Back cover page image courtesy: visibleearth.nasa.gov

©Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S)

Ground floor, 3/2 Seetammal Extension, 1st Street, Teynampet, Chennai- 600018, Tamil Nadu, India Ph. : +91- 44- 4216 6899; +91- 44- 24340292 | Email: director.c3s@gmail.com

www.c3sindia.org