20 February 2018 | Colombo, Sri Lanka
by Prof. T.V Paul
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| Prof. T.V Paul |
“China and India have been the main beneficiaries of economic globalization and this has created a new balance of power in the contemporary international politics” stated Prof. T. V Paul in his presentation at Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Colombo, titled ‘Globalization, Rising Powers and South Asian States’ on 8th January 2018 at the first In-house Discussion Series in 2018.
Prof. T. V Paul is James McGill Professor of International Relations at Department of Political Science, McGill University, Canada. He also, served as President of International Studies Association during 2016-17.
After the Cold War, China and India has received an impressive economic development in the context of globalization with the expanded economic and political space. That also made China and India interdependent. For instance, 40% of GDP in India is trade base and in China its 37%. The relationship between India and China is still conflictual but there is a tendency of ‘managed rivalry’, in the sense that both of them try to de-escalate the tension.
The dynamics created by economic globalization has brought forward a new balance of power in the international politics and this has also increased the bargaining power of small states. For instance, other South Asian states’ linked with China and India has reoriented their behavior and bargain with the international community on a new plane. On the other hand, even though there are no specific alliances, both India and China are concerned about affiliations of small states with them.
Finally, Prof. Paul emphasized that small states should be extremely cautious when dealing with rising powers in this context. Rather than been a bandwagon to one rising power, they should try to maintain a strategic relationship with other powers which increases the bargaining power of small states.
There were considerable number of academics, diplomats, and top-rank military officers comprised the audience. This was the first presentation of In-house Discussion Series in 2018 organized by the RCSS.
External link
Prof. T.V Paul on Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._V._Paul
