'Don’t ape American line on containing China'

CHENNAI: India should make its own analysis on handling China rather than getting influenced by US policy makers, a clutch of experts suggested here on Monday. During the seminar on ‘Re-evaluating US Foreign Policy Towards Asia’, organised by Chennai Centre for China Studies and University of Madras and Centre for Asia Studies, former diplomats cautioned that India should not do anything to antagonise China under US influence but be a self-confident and autonomous actor in international polity. B Raman, former additional secretary of India, said that the Obama administration declared in its war doctrine its intention to curb China’s cyber war capabilities besides protecting its $ 1.2 trillion trade through the South China Sea.

“The US nervousness has increased by the fact that while considerable information is available on China’s modernisation and expansion of its conventional, nuclear and space-related capabilities, very little information is available on China’s cyber war capabilities. The US is determined to prevent China from acquiring an asymmetric advantage in cyber space by threatening China with a military response against targets in its territory to neutralise its cyber war capabilities should it become necessary,” he added. “Though not explicitly stated, the US obviously views Japan, South Korea and Australia as allies in this network and India, Vietnam, the Philippines and possibly other ASEAN countries as partners,” Raman added.

He also said India’s interest would be better protected through a mutually assisted relationship on a one-on-one basis with a gradually expanding basket of issues promoting a strategic convergence. Former diplomat C V Ranganathan said India should be self-confident and an independent in international relations. D S Rajan, director of the Chennai Centre for China Studies, and

B S Raghavan, chairperson of the Chennai Centre for China Studies also spoke on the occasion.