New Delhi isn’t resting on its laurels. The Indian Defence Ministry said its military is joining Mongolia in two weeks of joint defence exercises from this week. This year’s exercises are taking place in Mongolia, following a series of bilateral military activities last year in India.
The joint exercises were preceded by a visit from one of the Indian Army’s top brass, Gen. Vijay Kumar Singh, who toured Ulan Bator from September 6 to 8. This marks the second time a high-level Indian official has visited the Mongolian capital within the past two months. In late July, Indian President Pratibha Patil was in Ulan Bator to meet with Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj, where she gushed about the Central Asian state’s emergence as the fastest growing economy in Asia
An estimated 40 Indian troops will take part in the military exercises, which will focus on counterinsurgency training. Last month, Indian troops took part in the sixth annual Khaan Quest, a week-long Mongolian-hosted joint-training exercise aimed at enhancing cooperation between regional militaries. Khaan Quest is regularly attended by democratic nations all over the world, including India, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and the United States.
The rapid amelioration of Indo-Mongolian security ties was formalized when both countries signed a bilateral defence cooperation agreement during Patil’s visit in July. The pact isn’t overly comprehensive though, as Mongolia remains cautious about getting too cosy with India on defence issues. India, however, seems keen to enhance defence ties rapidly. The rationale behind this is simple—New Delhi believes that it will be more competitive in Mongolia’s lucrative mining and trade sectors if it diversifies its engagement, morphing from investor to strategic partner.
Mongolia also has a significant interest in wooing India’s defence expertise. First, enhanced engagement complements Mongolia’s strategy to recruit large markets to ramp up their investments in the country. Of primary interest to India is Mongolia's mineral sector, including significant reserves of coal, copper, gold, and uranium.
Secondly, regional instability in Central Asia remains a concern for Ulan Bator and it’s keen to profit off its reputation as the lead democracy in a land of kleptocrats. Finally—and most important—China’s continued military ascendency and all the implications that go along with this necessitate Mongolia’s outreach to other power brokers in Asia, such as India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States.
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yang zi
The story about India’s oil exploration with Vietnam is misleading. Indian’s oil concern is outside of Chinese lawful 9 dotted line. and these blocks are from the sale of BP property.
Chinese foreign spokesman is just stating a general principle, not indicating India’s oil blocks are violating Chinese rights. Yet India press had a field day, thinking they are standing up to China, which is good, but not really the case.
Every country should stand up for what it thinks is right, India is no exception.
As for this article, Hope @Bat can say some nice things about India, but hopefully not vicious things about Chinese, we just want to get along. and If China want to buy resources from Outer Mongolia, Outer Mongolia has right to not sell. but no need to insult Chinese.
nirvana
@yang zi,
I don’t see any linkage between this article and the South China Sea. Anyway, the Chinese Foreign Minister statement on India’s plan for exploration in the SCS with Vietnam is:
“Our consistent position is that we are opposed to any country engaging in oil and gas exploration and development activities in waters under China’s jurisdiction.”
Well, I tried unsuccessfully to find an official China’s statement that the waters within the “9 dotted line” are under China’s jurisdiction. Could you hep me?
John Chan
@nirvana:
Exercise jurisdiction is one of the elements to demonstrate a nation’s sovereignty over a territory; this is the essence of international laws. Making statements only does not prove you have actual ownership/sovereignty over anything.
Your question regarding “China’s statement that the waters (islets and their surrounding waters) within the ‘9-dotted line’ are under China’s jurisdiction” is redundant, because a place cannot under a nation’s jurisdiction unless that nation already has actual control (sovereignty) of the place.
Here is a link to help you know more about the ‘9-dotted line.’ http://www.southchinasea.org/docs/Li%20and%20Li-The%20Dotted%20Line%20on%20the%20Map.pdf
nirvana
@John Chan,
The document cited gives the opinions of two Chinese scholars (Li Jinming and Li Dexia). These authors recognize themselves that other Chinese scholars do not agree with them. In fact, the goal of the document is clearly to call for the Chinese government to lift its ambiguous language on the meaning of the 9-dotted line. As I have pointed out, the Chinese Foreign Ministry recent statement skilfully avoided mentioning “9-dotted line” and preferred the vague term “waters under Chinese jurisdiction” when refering to its warning to India.
I think you can not cite a single governmental statement claiming exactly what Li & Li were advocating (in 2003!), that the 9-dotted line be considered by the Chinese government as a boundary line of Chinese waters. Just like the Qing Emperor claiming SOMETHING in 1883 and lodging a protest against a German exploration SOMEWHERE in the SCS, the Foreign Minister of China is lodging a protest against India in the tradition of “lying by omission”. Vagueness, ambiguity and deception are good for the art of war, not for building trust, cooperation, stability and peace.
duke chan
Yes, it is in unlawful 9-dotted line imagined by the CCP based on “historical facts”. China shot herself in the foot by too creative about the 9-dotted line.
John Chan
The 9-dashes delineates the Chinese border in South China Sea for both PRC and ROC. Squatters and trespassers inside that 9-dashes can either leave themselves or be evicted by sheriffs.
a_canadian_observer
china has no proof to this riduculous claim, otherwise it would have resolved the case through the UN already.
John Chan
@a_canadian_observer:
China has plenty of proof to the 9-dotted line claim. China is the only nation has material proof to that 9-dotted line claim.
No nation will subject their territories to a 3rd party jurisdiction including Canada. Why does Canada not resolve its land claim disputes between the natives and its governments through the UN?
a_canadian_observer
@John Chan: And, where are the proofs?
yang zi
All the talk about China been a super power is false. China is not and it is not thinking like that. Only some people in the west inflate China into a super power and then start shooting at it.
China’s Per capita equals that of Angola, India is much less. A country with Per capita GDP less than Angola, should not see itself too seriously. India is such a country. it is over reaching.
China has a big population, this makes it a power automatically in the scale of economy. the economic actives in China has global implications. this is the extent of Chinese power. China has no political power or military power to project.
trisonics
You speak like a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson.
ozivan
@Trisonics. Agree. Yang Zi will make an exemplary spokesperson for China.
Frank
If so, believe him.
nirvana
@yang zi,
Indeed, China’s GDP per Capita (PPP) is equivalent to Angola, or approximately the World 120th place. But China’s number of millionaires put it at 3rd place, behind only US and Japan. How do you explain that?
Major Lowen Gil Marquez, Phil Army
Bilateral exercise is needed for both countries between Mongolia and India, it enhances their military capability in the aspect of offense and defense in any theater of war that they might need such experience in the future in order for them to be more stronger and prepare at any weather and terrain condition..
John Chan
@Major Lowen Gil Marquez, Phil Army:
There are less than 3 million Mongolians in Outer Mongolia; they are not enough to fill the cannon folders for Indian or Filipino’s reckless and incompetent military ambition. Please leave the Mongolian alone and do not make them extinct specie that we can only see them in the books and museums.
Reason
poor comment JC… stick to what you think are the facts, less of the racist mumbo jumbo
SHI HUA REN
I’m a Oversea Chinese …. i can see that how Ego you China Chinese is and you all won’t last long
John Chan
@Shi Hua Ren:
You are mistaken, most bloggers defending China are not mainlanders, they are here to expose lies told about China, correct distorted facts regarding China, and clear smear painted on China. Please do not confused with CCP government with China. CCP government just is a regime of China.
We are practising freedom of expression here, so that people from the different places in the world can exchange ideas and remove unnecessary misunderstandings in order to promote peace and prosperity for the world.
Please make your contribution meaningful, instead of making prejudice statement without basis.
a_canadian_observer
@John Chan: “You are mistaken, most bloggers defending China are not mainlanders,” Perhaps, except for some, they are moles planted in the West by the CCP.
John Chan
@a_canadian_observer:
Why don’t you make some meaningful contribution, instead of keeping on making meaningless troll?
Sinodefender
@a_canadian_observer your rhetoric on how pro-China are Communist lackeys is getting stale…
Sam
I heartily agree with a_canadian_observer and believe he makes a very meaningful contribution to this website. Compared to the fact free stuff you guys write I find him quite insightful. keep up the good work a_canadian_observer!
a_canadian_observer
@sam: Thank you. My motto is to write less, provide facts/links where possible, to force them to think, which is hard and may be impossible, since they can only parrot what they have been “programmed” to write.
Sinodefender
Can you prove that pro China bloggers are all Communist moles your fantasy wishes to prove? Sam some of your comments are not welcome please refrain from calling other ethnics monkeys…
ozivan
@Shi Hua Ren. You wrote :..i can see that how Ego you China Chinese is and you all won’t last long.
In what way, the China Chinese won’t last long ? If I may ask.
Frank
He forgets to read history.
nirvana
By “ego”, SHI HUA REN is implying perhaps the recurrent “China is better than your country”, “They hate China because they are jealous”, etc… that we often read here and elsewhere.
I am afraid that it is not only about ego, it is much worse. This was how Hitler mislead ordinary Germans into thinking that being a “nationalist” is patriotism. The Chinese state has been applying the same propaganda as the Drittes Reich, since “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” became an empty slogan. The terrifying thing is that it has full control of the Internet in China and a much larger audience than Hitler had in the 40s.
So, overseas Chinese please … wake-up!
a_canadian_observer
@nirvana: Ditto! As I stated in another place in this blog. This “china’s peaceful rise” is sounding more like the “Third Reich” now-a-day.
yang tsup
china supports pakistan coz they knew it can be used to contain india, they exploit the hate of pakistani against india.. china even sell reactors to pakistan that can be used to annihilate indians
Major Lowen Gil Marquez, Phil Army
Selling nuclear elements started during the time of Pakistani Scientist Dr. Abdul Quadder Khan from the URENCO in Amsterdam he steal the nuclear enhancement blueprint and bring it to Pakistan and in 20 years he was able to profligate the nuclear arms in the middle east. . . with barter environment of the nuclear goods. . .
Bat
This Diplomat site is the site where the Chinese are encouraged to insult and humiliate the Indians, Mongolians, Tibetans, Uighurs, His Holyness – Nobel Prize Winner Dalai Lama, and Madam Rebya Kadyr and everybody else but insulted peoples – Mongolians, Indians, Tibetans, and Uighurs and others are NOT allowed to respond and their replies are either not posted, or labelled as racist. The Diplomat is the overseas arm of the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party. Good luck, Diplomat, in promotion of Chinese communist lies, propaganda and racist hatreds of the people who colonized by Chinese!
ozivan
@Bat. Welcome back.
Frank
Mongolians, Indians, Tibetans, and Uighurs are interesting group of people.
I am wondering how Indians (East?) fit into the picture.
Sam
To wonder the prerequisite is brains. usually in shrt supply for Chinese monkey boys
Frank
Monkey is a term used by Indian’s formal master.
Sam
@Bat
Hear! Hear!
Yang tsupa
mongolia are good strategic partner in future conflict against china.. philippines should clean its politics and armed forces of shameful corruptions!
Ricky
@Bat
I agree with your allegation that the diplomat practices partisanship.
nirvana
@Bat,
I think you are 100% wrong. If The-Diplomat’s policy was to filter out the posts of anti-China extremists and let those of pro-China extremists get through, it would be in fact a very subtle anti-China policy. I don’t think it the case.
Otherwise, I agree that the increasing number of off-topic or inflammatory comments that are polluting the debates on any article about China is very irritating.
Frank
“debates on any article about China is very irritating”
If so, why don’t you East Indian just butt out?
Very few Chinese are interested in India issues. Most East Indians are very interested in China. Why?
That is because India is NOT a relevant country.
Sam
There you go Frankie.
‘Very few Chinese are interested in India issues. Most East Indians are very interested in China. Why?’
So you have decided you know what 2.5 Billion people think and that they all think similarly? How do you know any of those statements you made are true? Prove them with some backup information from any trusted source if you dare.
Who cares what you think and who are you to ask anybody to “butt out” or do anything else? This is not a China only or even a Frank’s redneck (OK yellow neck) bigot troll only website. People are free to make their opinions known and if that offends you, you should be the one “butting out” as you delicately put it. You will not be missed believe me.
Frank
Yellow nek is better than a brown neck for sure.
nirvana
@Sam,
Don’t fight against “Agent Smith”, Sam. It is not a human. Try to get to bypass it and get to the “core”.
Samurai_aka_Keisuki Nomura
China is getting more aggressive daily and is not willing to respect its neighbouring countries rights and freedom and is playing like a dictator that owns the power of all asia.
China is not ready to accept the international sea rights or freedom and is challenging every country their navigational freedom that is passing through South China Sea to reach far east places.
China has 1 or more dispute with every country in South east asia.
I studied about India and China and found alarming facts that,
India is being surrounded by china in every corner. Chinese has already started big projects, infra in Myanmar, Nepal, Srilanka and Pakistan. Particularly Srilanka has changed to a complete chinese state with PLA engineers building radars, ports, hospitals, roads etc.
Chinese are aggressively building vast roads, rail, airbases close to Tibet border with India. PLA engineers are also doing hard work in Pak Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Chinese is giving arms, huge nuke cooperation to Pak in view of India.
“—>A thing to note: China recently started some exploration in Indian ocean”
India should choose a better asia centric policy with other east countries in view of India. Other east countries should assist India to control china.
—->The comedy lies in fact that “”"if India tells china and whole world that Indian ocean, Bay of Bengal and half of Arabian Sea is the sole property of India and noone will be allowed to enter these waters, then what china and rest of world countries will do?????.
If every country in world start to claim like china, how will china themselves travel to other places?.
China is exactly doing the same now with South China Sea. If a sea gets name regarding the country close to it, how can the country say whole sea is theirs??.
China should respect international sea lane and everyone’s right to travel and navigation.