LIKELY NEW CPC LEADERSHIP

 

B.RAMAN

The 18^th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will end on November 14,2012, after approving the new General Secretary (Mr.Xi Jinping), the new seven-member Standing Committee of the Politbureau, the new Politbureau and the new 18^th Central Committee.

2.All these organs will look after the affairs of the Party till the 19^th Party Congress in 2017. The official announcements regarding the new party organs will be made at a press conference on November 15 at which the new Standing Committee of the Politbureau will be introduced to the public for the first time.

3.The bio-data of the likely new members of the Standing Committee of the Politbureau as taken from Chinese Internet Databases are given below. This is still a speculative list and is not yet confirmed.

4.Of the seven names figuring in the speculative list, only Mr.Xi is  member of the outgoing Standing Committee of the Politbureau. The remaining six were members of the outgoing Politbureau, but not of its Standing Committee. Of these six, who are tipped to be the new members of the Standing Committee of the new Politbureau, one is an economic expert, one a historian-cum-banking expert, one is a missile engineer, one an expert in petroleum refining, one an expert on Inner Mongolia and one an expert on North Korea.

1.Xi Jinping, ethnic Han, native of Fuping, Shaanxi Province, born in June 1953. Joined the CPC in January 1974 and began working in January 1969. Graduated from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of Tsinghua University, majoring in Marxist theory and ideological education. With an on-the-job postgraduate education. LLD.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.

1969-1975: Worked as an educated youth sent to the countryside at Liangjiahe Brigade, Wen'anyi Commune, Yanchuan County, Shaanxi Province, and served as Party branch secretary.

1975-1979: Student of basic organic synthesis at the Chemical Engineering Department of Tsinghua University.

1979-1982: Secretary at the General Office of the State Council and the General Office of the Central Military Commission (as an officer in active service).

1982-1983: Deputy secretary of the CPC Zhengding County Committee, Hebei Province.

1983-1985: Secretary of the CPC Zhengding County Committee, Hebei Province.

1985-1988: Member of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee and vice mayor of Xiamen, Fujian Province.

1988-1990: Secretary of the CPC Ningde Prefectural Committee, Fujian Province.

1990-1993: Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fuzhou Municipal People's Congress, Fujian Province.

1993-1995: Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fuzhou Municipal People's Congress.

1995-1996: Deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fuzhou Municipal People's Congress.

1996-1999: Deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee.

1999-2000: Deputy secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and acting governor of Fujian Province.

2000-2002:  Studied Marxist theory and ideological education in an on-the-job postgraduate program at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of Tsinghua University and graduated with an LLD degree.

2002-2002: Deputy secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and acting governor of Zhejiang Province.

2002-2003: Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and acting governor of Zhejiang Province.

2003-2007: Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial People's Congress.

2007-2007: Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.

2007-2008: Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and president of Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

 

 

2008-2010: Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice president of PRC and president of Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

2010- : Vice chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission.

Alternate member of the Fifteenth CPC Central Committee, and member of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee. Member of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee, member of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee, and member of the Secretariat of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee.

2.Li Keqiang, ethnic Han, native of Dingyuan, Anhui Province, born in July 1955. Joined the CPC in May 1976 and began working in March 1974. Graduated from the School of Economics of Peking University, majoring in economics. With on-the-job postgraduate education. Doctor of Economics.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretary of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress.

1974-1976: Secondary school graduate sent to work at Dongling Brigade, Damiao Commune, Fengyang County, Anhui Province.

1976-1978: Party branch secretary of Damiao Brigade, Damiao Commune, Fengyang County, Anhui Province.

1978-1982: Student of the Department of Law and leading member of the Student Union of Peking University.

1982-1983: Secretary of the CYLC committee of Peking University.

1983-1985: Director general of the School Department of the CYLC Central Committee and concurrently secretary general of the All-China Students' Federation, Alternate member of the Secretariat of the CYLC Central Committee.

1985-1993: Member of the Secretariat of the CYLC Central Committee and vice chairman of the All-China Youth Federation (September-November 1991: studied at the Party School of CPC Central Committee).

1993-1998: First secretary of the Secretariat of the CYLC Central Committee and concurrently president of the China Youth Political College (1988-1994: obtained MA and doctorate of Economics after attending the on-the-job postgraduate program on Economics at the School of Economics of Peking University).

1998-1999: Deputy secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and acting governor of Henan Province.

1999-2002: Deputy secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and governor of Henan Province.

2002-2003: Secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and governor of Henan Province.

2003-2004: Secretary of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Henan Provincial People's Congress.

2004-2005: Secretary of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee.

2005-2007: Secretary of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress.

2007- Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretary of the CPC Liaoning Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Liaoning Provincial People's Congress.

Member of the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth CPC Central Committees. Member of the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee. Member of the Standing Committee of the Eighth National People's Congress.

3.Zhang Dejiang, ethnic Han, native of Tai'an, Liaoning Province, born in November 1946. Joined the CPC in January 1971 and began working in November 1968. Graduated from the Department of Economics, Kim Il Sung University, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). With a university education.

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee.

1968-1970: Worked as an educated youth sent to the countryside at Taiping Brigade, Luozigou Commune, Wangqing County, Jilin Province.

1970-1972: Member of the Publicity Group of Wangqing County Revolutionary Committee, Jilin Province, and secretary of its Communist Youth League branch.

1972-1975: Student of Yanbian University majoring in the Korean language.

1975-1978: Deputy secretary of the general Party branch committee of the Department of the Korean Language, Yanbian University, member of the standing committee of its Party Committee and vice chairman of its Revolutionary Committee.

1978-1980: Student of the Department of Economics of Kim Il Sung University, DPRK and secretary of the CPC branch committee of Chinese students studying at the university.

1980-1983: Member of the standing committee of the Party Committee and president of Yanbian University.

1983-1985: Deputy secretary of the CPC Committee of Yanji, and concurrently member of the standing committee of the CPC Committee of Yanbian Prefecture, Jilin Province.

1985-1986: Deputy secretary of the CPC Committee of Yanbian Prefecture, Jilin Province.

1986-1990: Vice Minister of Civil Affairs and deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

1990-1995: Deputy secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and concurrently secretary of the CPC Committee of Yanbian Prefecture.

1995-1998: Secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jilin Provincial People's Congress.

1998-2002: Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee.

2002-: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee.

Alternate member of the Fourteenth CPC Central Committee, member of the Fifteenth through Seventeenth CPC Central Committees, and Political Bureau member of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth CPC Central Committees.

4.Yu Zhengsheng, ethnic Han, native of Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, born in April 1945. Joined the CPC in November 1964 and began working in August 1963. Graduated from the Department of Missile Engineering, Harbin Military Engineering Institute, majoring in automatic control of ballistic missiles. With a university education. Engineer.

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee.

1963-1968: Student majoring in automatic control of ballistic missiles at the Department of Missile Engineering, Harbin Military Engineering Institute.

1968-1971: Technician of Zhangjiakou No. 6 Radio Factory, Hebei Province.

1971-1975: Technician and director of Qiaoxi Radio Factory, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province.

1975-1981: Technician and engineer of Research Institute for Promotion and Application of Electronic Technology under the Fourth Ministry of Machine-Building Industry.

1981-1982: Assistant chief engineer of Research Institute for Promotion and Application of Electronic Technology under the Fourth Ministry of Machine-Building Industry.

1982-1984: Deputy director of Research Institute for Promotion and Application of Electronic Technology under the Ministry of Electronics Industry; chief of Second Systems Division, assistant chief engineer and head of Department of Microcomputer Management of the Administration for Computer Industry, the Ministry of Electronics Industry; and deputy director of the Planning Department of the Ministry of Electronics Industry.

1984-1985: President, vice chairman of the board and member of the Leading Party Members' Group of the China Welfare Fund for the Disabled (equal to bureau-chief as from December 1984; and acting general manager of China Kanghua Industrial Company Ltd., January-March 1985).

1985-1987: Deputy secretary of the CPC Yantai Municipal Committee, Shandong Province.

1987-1989: Deputy secretary of the CPC Yantai Municipal Committee and mayor of Yantai, Shandong Province.

1989-1992: Deputy secretary of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee and deputy mayor and major of Qingdao, Shandong Province .

1992-1994: Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, secretary of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee, and mayor of Qingdao.

1994-1997: Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and secretary of the CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee.

1997-1998: Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Ministry of Construction and vice-minister of Construction.

1998-2001: Minister of Construction and secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Ministry of Construction 2001-2002 Secretary of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee.

2002-2003: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretary of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial People's Congress.

2003- 2007: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee.

2007-: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.

Alternate member of the Fourteenth CPC Central Committee, member of the Fifteenth through Seventeenth CPC Central Committees, and Political Bureau member of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth CPC Central Committees.

5.Liu Yunshan, ethnic Han, native of Xinzhou, Shanxi Province, born in July 1947. Joined the CPC in April 1971 and began working in September 1966. Graduated from the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. With a university education.

Member of the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

1964-1968: Student at Jining Normal School, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

1968-1969: Teacher of Bashi School of Tumd Left Banner and sent to do manual labor in Sobugai People's Commune of Tumd Right Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

1969-1975: Clerk of the Publicity Department of the CPC Tumd Right Banner Committee, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

 

1975-1982: Reporter, deputy section chief and member of the Leading Party Members' Group of Inner Mongolia Bureau of Xinhua News Agency (studied at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee from March to August 1981)

1982-1984: Deputy secretary of the Communist Youth League Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee and its Leading Party Members' Group

1984-1986: Deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee

1986-1987: Member of the Standing Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee

1987-1991: Member of the Standing Committee and secretary general of the CPC Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee and concurrently secretary of Working Committee of the Organs Under CPC Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee

1991-1992: Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee and secretary of the CPC Chifeng Municipal Committee

1992-1993: Deputy secretary of the CPC Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Committee and concurrently secretary of the CPC Chifeng Municipal Committee (1989-1992: took a correspondence course of the Central Party School, majoring in Party and government administration)

 

1993-1997: Deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee

1997-2002: Deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee (confirmed as ministerial-level official in October 1997), head of the Office of the Spiritual Civilization Steering Committee of the CPC Central Committee

2002-: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee Alternate member of the Twelfth and Fourteenth CPC Central Committees, and member of the Fifteenth through Seventeenth CPC Central Committees. Member of the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth CPC Central Committees.

6.Zhang Gaoli, ethnic Han, native of Jinjiang, Fujian Province, born in November 1946. Joined the CPC in December 1973 and began working in August 1970. Graduated from the Department of Economics, Xiamen University, majoring in planning and statistics. With a university education.

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee.

1965-1970: Student majoring in planning and statistics in the Department of Economics, Xiamen University.

1970-1977: Worker of the Guangdong Maoming Petroleum Company under the Ministry of the Petroleum Industry, secretary of its production headquarters office, secretary of the CYLC general branch of its political department, and deputy secretary of its CYLC committee.

1977-1980: Secretary of the general branch of the CPC committee and political instructor of the first workshop of the refinery of the Guangdong Maoming Petroleum Company under the Ministry of the Petroleum Industry, deputy secretary and secretary of the refinery Party committee.

1980-1984: Standing committee member of the Party committee of the Maoming Petroleum Industrial Company under the Ministry of the Petroleum Industry, director of its planning division, and deputy manager of the company.

1984-1985 Deputy secretary of the CPC committee of Maoming City, Guangdong Province, and manager of the Maoming Petroleum Industrial Company under SINOPEC

1985-1988: Director of the Guangdong Provincial Economic Commission and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

1988-1992: Deputy governor of Guangdong Province (April-July 1990: participated in the training program for provincial and ministerial level cadres at the Central Party School).

1992-1993: Deputy governor of Guangdong Province and concurrently director of the provincial planning commission and secretary of the commission's Leading Party Members' Group.

1993-1994: Standing committee member of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, deputy governor of Guangdong Province and concurrently director of the provincial planning commission and secretary of the commission's Leading Party Members' Group.

1994-1997: Standing committee member of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and deputy governor of Guangdong Province.

1997-1998: Standing committee member of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee.

1998-2000: Deputy secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and secretary of the CPC Shenzhen City Committee.

2000-2001: Deputy secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee, secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress.

2001-2002: Deputy secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, acting governor and governor of Shandong Province.

2002-2003: Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and governor of Shandong Province.

2003-2007: Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of Shandong Provincial People's Congress.

2007-: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee.

Alternate member of the Fifteenth CPC Central Committees, member of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth CPC Central Committees, and member of the Political Bureau of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee.

7.Wang Qishan, ethnic Han, native of Tianzhen, Shanxi Province, born in July 1948. Joined the CPC in February 1983 and began working in January 1969. Graduated from the Department of History of Northwest University, majoring in history. With a university education. Senior economist.

Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, deputy secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, mayor of Beijing, executive chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the XXIX Olympiad and deputy secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

1969-1971: Worked as an educated youth sent to the countryside at Fengzhuang People's Commune in Yan'an County, Shaanxi Province.

1971-1973: Worked in Shaanxi Provincial Museum.

1973-1976: Student majoring in history of the Department of History of Northwest University.

1976-1979: Worked in Shaanxi Provincial Museum.

1979-1982: Intern researcher at the Institute of Modern History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

1982-1986: Division chief, researcher (at the deputy department chief level) and deputy director of the Liaison Office, at the Rural Policy Research Office of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and the Rural Development Research Center under the State Council.

1986-1988: Researcher (at the department chief level) of the Rural Policy Research Office of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, director of the Liaison Office of the Rural Development Research Center under the State Council and concurrently director of the National Office for Pilot Areas of Rural Reform, and acting director and director of the Development Institute of the Rural Development Research Center under the State Council.

1988-1989: General manager and secretary of the Party committee of China Rural Trust and Investment Corporation.

1989-1993: Vice governor of the People's Construction Bank of China and member of its Leading Party Members' Group (attended a workshop run by the Party School of the CPC Central Committee for cadres at the provincial and ministerial level from September to November 1992).

1993-1994: Vice governor of the People's Bank of China and member of its Leading Party Members' Group.

1994-1996: Governor of the People's Construction Bank of China and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

1996-1997: Governor of the Construction Bank of China and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

1997-1998: Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee.

1998-2000: Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee and vice-governor of Guangdong Province.

2000-2002: Director of the Office for Economic Restructuring under the State Council and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

2002-2003: Secretary of the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of Hainan Provincial People's Congress.

2003-2004: Deputy secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, acting mayor of Beijing, executive chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the XXIX Olympiad and deputy secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

2004-2007: Deputy secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, mayor of Beijing, executive chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the XXIX Olympiad and deputy secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

2007-: Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, deputy secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, mayor of Beijing, executive chairman of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the XXIX Olympiad and deputy secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group.

Alternate member of the Fifteenth CPC Central Committee. Member of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Central Committees. Member of the Political Bureau of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMPLEXITIES OF DEALING WITH CHINA

 

B.RAMAN

 

(Based on my intervention during a Panel discussion on November 9,2012, on the book titled “ India’s Foreign Policy--- Coping With the Changing World” written by Shri Muchkund Dubey, our former Foreign Secretary. The book has been published by PEARSON. Other Panellists were Shri Dubey and Shri C.V.Ranganathan, former Indian Ambassador to China and France. The discussion was jointly organised by the Chennai Centre For China Studies and the Rajaji Centre For Public Affairs, Chennai )

Just as one used to talk of comprehensive national strength and comprehensive national security, one now talks of comprehensive diplomacy. From a uni-dimensional concept, diplomacy has become a multi-dimensional concept dealing with various dimensions such as political, economic, commercial, military, technological etc. Shri Dubey is one of the distinguished practitioners of  comprehensive diplomacy that we have . He has handled creditably bilateral as well multilateral diplomacy and the various aspects of comprehensive diplomacy. He was associated for many years with economic and commercial diplomacy and had overseen the transition from the era of the GATT to that of the World Trade Organisation ( WTO). His observations in the book should be of tremendous benefit to political leaders, professionals and the sections of the general public interested in the evolution of our foreign policy and in the exercise of our diplomacy.

2. Normally, when retired public servants and policy-makers write, they tend to bat for their service and department. A refreshing aspect of Shri Dubey’s book is that he refrains from batting for the Indian Foreign Service and the Ministry of External Affairs. He bats for the nation and its interests and does not hesitate to admit deficiencies in the exercise of our diplomacy, analyse the reasons for them and suggest correctives.

3. I was struck by his admitting how our defeat by Japan in 1995-96 in the election to the non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council (UNSC) was a wake-up call and showed that India had no stature in the international community. He rightly attributes this lack of stature to India’s poor economic strength and its inconsequential role in global economy.

4. Economic strength is the basic component of the comprehensive national strength of any country. Without economic strength no country can make its presence felt and make itself respected in the international community. We have since paid more attention to building our economic strength. We are more consequential than we were till 1995-96, but still not as consequential as China is.

5. This became cruelly obvious during the recent Presidential campaign in the US. Whereas there were frequent references to China in the context of the global economy and the USA’s economic problems, there were few specific references to India, which still does not count. If India wants to be taken more seriously in the world of diplomacy and as an emerging power, it has to pay more attention to building its economic strength.

6. The book is not a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of our foreign policy. It is an updated collection of essays written by Shri Dubey on India’s relations with the US, Russia, China and Bangladesh and certain other aspects of which he has first hand knowledge. There is no detailed discussion of India’s relations with Pakistan and the Arab world. Pakistan does figure in his discussion of India’s relations with the US and China.

7. I would draw attention to three chapters devoted by Shri Dubey to a discussion of India’s relations with China and underline my views on this subject even at the risk of my views not being in consonance with those of Shri Dubey.

8. In my writings and speeches, I have been repeatedly drawing attention to our obsession with Pakistan and to our relative neglect of the importance of building up our knowledge and expertise on China despite our humiliation at the hands of China in 1962. We still do not understand the complexities of our relations with China adequately and what impact these complexities will have on our future stature as an emerging Asian power.

9. These complexities have three dimensions----our pending border dispute with China, the Tibetan question which will have an impact on the border dispute and the Damocles Sword of  the China-Pakistan nuclear and missile axis hanging over our head.

10. I am confident that given time and patience, our diplomats are capable of finding a mutually satisfactory solution to the border dispute and the Tibetan question. But, I am worried that not adequate attention has been paid to analysing the implications of the China-Pakistan nuclear and missile axis. Is there a way of weaning China away from Pakistan and what are the options and incentives and disincentives that we have  or that we ought to have in this regard? This is a matter that requires constant study by our governmental and non-governmental analysts and policy-makers.

11. We talk of the Pakistani mind-set and the mind-set of the Pakistani army relating to India. We cannot understand Pakistan and deal with Pakistan effectively unless we have a clear comprehension of those mind-sets.

12. Is there a Chinese mind-set towards India and what impact it has on its policies towards India? In my view, there is a Chinese mind-set which is predominant not in its Army, but in its Party leadership and cadres which strongly influences its determination to keep adding to Pakistan’s nuclear and missile strength.

13. Why does the Chinese Party leadership want to maintain the nuclear and missile axis with Pakistan? To confront India with the spectre of a two-front nuclear threat? To undermine India’s efforts to emerge as an Asian power on par with China? How to deal with this axis strategically and tactically?

14. We still do not have satisfactory answers to these questions. I do hope that Shri Dubey himself and other experts will pay greater attention to these questions in future and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of China and to the evolution of a comprehensive strategy for  addressing the complexities of our relations with China.

15. Dealing with China satisfactorily is the most difficult aspect of our comprehensive diplomacy. This question has not received the attention it deserves. ( 12-11-2012)

(The  writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com  Twitter @SORBONNE75)