China–India Relations: A Premature Strategic Competition between the Dragon and the Elephant

Abstract

The factors affecting the relationship between China and India can be divided into three categories: structural factors, hard factors, and soft factors. The structural factors are mainly geopolitical factors determined by national strength, geographical features and international status. Hard factors mainly include border conflicts, Tibetan issues, China–Pakistan relations and water disputes, which are difficult to solve and highly sensitive. Soft factors include a trade imbalance, visa issues, different notions of history, strategic differences, and the relationship between the two countries on the international stage. These three kinds of factors are differentiated. Their importance and influence on China–India relations are also changing. Geopolitical factors have begun to play more important role in the bilateral relationship of the two rising countries in the past few years, leading to their strategic competition. This competition has grown despite the fact that the two countries have not yet achieved a status as leaders of world politics. This premature strategic competition will hinder the development of the two countries and will make the “Asian century” hard to realize. For the security and interests of both nations and Asia as a whole, China and India must establish a more stable geopolitical relationship, promote bilateral cooperation in the field of hard and soft factors, and find opportunities for cooperation in new areas and spaces. Finally, China and India need to build a new type of power relations.