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CIAO DATE: 05/05
Volume 8, Number 4 (October-December 2004)
Panchsheel: Framework for a Multipolar World
Facing Twenty-First Century Challenges on the Foundation of Panchsheel
Guest Editor C V Ranganathan recalls how the proclamation of Panchsheel as the basis of their foreign policies by the governments of India and China in 1954 led to the launch of the Non-Aligned Movement in the wake of the 1955 Bandung Conference. Russia since then has consistently expressed support for those principles which provide a useful regional and global framework for the prevention of terrorism, international stability and economic cooperation.
Russia, China and India: Context for Interaction
The reaffirmation of the Panchsheel as a code of conduct in international relations by China, India and Russia is an important step towards the emergence of a polycentric world order which, under the auspices of a reformed UNO, is bound to replace the current unstable "unipolar" system according to Mikhail Titarenko. Bilateral and trilateral agreements between the three nations pave the way for this global transformation.
The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence: Basic Norms of Contemporary International Relations
Ma Jiali argues that Panchsheel is an essential instrument for the United Nations to achieve and maintain international peace by affirming the equality between all sovereign states, thereby protecting them from foreign invasions and "regime changes" imposed from outside.
Role of Panchsheel in Building International Order
Yang Zewei notes that China, belying conventional wisdom in the history of international relations, is rising to global preponderance peacefully, attempting not to upset the existing order. To that end Beijing strives to abide by the tested principles of Panchsheel in all interactions with other nations and rejects the doctrine of preventive strikes on other states.
Global Oil Resources and India's Energy Strategy
The world's dwindling petroleum and gas reserves are a bone of contention among the great powers. In the face of the aggressive military and economic strategy of the USA and its closest allies, Vishnu Bhagwat points out that India, like China, must secure its energy sources through agreements with oil producing countries, especially Russia and other neighbours in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Trilateral Cooperation in the Energy Resources Sector Between China, India and Russia
The three greatest powers of Asia are contiguous and have complementary, mutual interests in the critical area of energy security. While Russia is a major producer of oil and gas, China and Russia need stable supplies of both in rapidly growing amounts. Trilateral cooperation for exploration, drilling and transportation of energy resources is therefore a logical prospect writes Xia Yishan.
Panchsheel as the Foundation of a Humane International Order
The golden rule of Panchsheel expresses the spiritual essence of both the ancient Indian and Chinese civilisations. Lokesh Chandra recalls that this code of conduct is familiar to all East and South Asia and enshrines an alternative to hegemonic mono-cultural globalisation.
Asian Civilisational Dialogue Between India and China
India and China are once again entering an age of intense economic and cultural interaction. Hu Yeping reviews the pervasive influence of Indian metaphysical and moral thinking on China in the past two millennia and calls upon the two civilizations to realise their complementariness and share their respective greatest values and intellectual assets.
Review Essay: Globalisation in a Changing Era
As highlighted by John R Stoll and Ismail Shariff the evolution of capitalism into a global system, largely controlled by multinational corporations, is posing a significant threat to many cherished human values. Though globalisation is in progress since the dawn of civilisation, its current fast pace makes it difficult to predict its effects, especially the negative ones.
Reviews
Mohammed Badrul Alam
M V Ramana
K D Gangrade
Manish Thakur
Giridhari Lal Pandit
René Wadlow
Documents
ASEAN–India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity, Vientiane, November 30, 2004
Joint Declaration by The Russian Federation and The Republic of India, New Delhi, December 03, 2004
Noble Peace Prize Acceptance Speech of Professor Wangari Maathai, Oslo, Norway, December 10, 2004
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