Japan is seeking to forge an East Asian Community inline with the European Union. But the optimism that East Asia will realize the goal of European Union (EU) type integration does not seem realistic since historical issues still impede normal diplomatic relations.

Water may not become a catalyst for a direct conflict, but China could leverage Tibet’s water as a politico-military tool vis-à-vis other riparian states. As the economies of India and China grow, both are bound to treat water as a strategic commodity.

Weather patterns in a neighbouring state can be affected by experiments conducted on own territory. China needs to clear suspicions that have been aroused by its weather modification actions.

India should engage space have-nots at a different level, going beyond technological and commercial interests.

Indian insurgent groups are re-establishing camps in Bhutan and are also forging links with Bhutanese rebel groups.

Once an exporter of Chinese style Communism and isolated internationally, today’s China is the mainstay of the capitalist world exporting a large quantity of what the world imports.

The aggressive posture that the Chinese have adopted along the otherwise relatively tranquil Line of Actual Control (LOAC) has come under a lot of analytical examination by Indian Sinologists. They have advanced a number of explanations for the Chinese actions, all of which have a ring of truth about them.

A number of Chinese border intrusions across the Line of Actual Control have been reported in recent months. One such event near Mount Gya in the Chumar sector of Ladakh saw Chinese troops intruding 1.5 kilometres inside Indian territory and writing “China” on the rocks with red paint. The intrusion was first noticed by an Indian patrol team on July 31, 2009. An earlier incident of Chinese intrusion in this area reportedly took place on June 21st, when two Chinese M1 helicopters violated the Indian airspace and air dropped canned food at Chumar.