Author's name: Huynh Thanh Loan

Thesis title:Border issues in India-China relations from 1950 to 2014

Field of study of the thesis: History

Major: World History Code: 62 22 03 13

Name of the postgraduate training unit: University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

1. Purpose and scope of the thesis

1.1. Research Objectives:

The research aims to clarify the influencing factors, the process of resolving border issues, and the impact of border issues on India-China relations during the period 1950-2014, while also offering some policy recommendations for Vietnam in its relations with India and China.

1.2. Research subjects:

The subject of this dissertation is the border issue in India-China relations from 1950 to 2014.

2. Research methods used

The dissertation flexibly applies specialized and interdisciplinary research methods in history and international relations. Of these, the most important is...historical research methodsThe thesis will follow the historical progression of the issue. Based on original source materials (negotiation documents, exchange notes between the two countries, etc.) and secondary sources, the thesis will analyze the process by which the border issue arose and developed through various stages; thereby, the thesis will comment on the border issue in the relations between the two countries in several areas.

The main factors related to the India-China border dispute, such as geographical, historical, and political elements, will be explored through inductive and logical deductive research methods. In addition to the inductive method, this thesis also utilizes...narrative analysis method.

Methods of studying international relationsRegarding border disputes, the author will also apply a realist approach to external threats and the interconnectedness of nations within the international system.

Expert interview methodThis will also be incorporated by the author into the development of the thesis.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

This dissertation is the first monograph in Vietnam to study the border issue in India-China relations from 1950 to 2014, and the research results have the following new points:

ButFrom the perspective of a Vietnamese researcher, this thesis has comprehensively, systematically, and highly generalized the border issue in India-China relations (1950-2014), identifying the origins and nature of the border issue, the successes and limitations of the border dispute resolution mechanisms implemented by the two countries, and explaining why the border issue remains unresolved to this day.

ButThe thesis has suggested several policies for Vietnam to consider when developing relations with India and China.

ButThe research findings of this thesis may serve as a useful reference for lecturers, researchers, and anyone interested in border issues in India-China relations.

3.2. Conclusion

- The India-China border issue is a legacy of history. However, it is also a problem created by a series of events that occurred after 1950, when China carried out the "liberation" of Tibet in 1950-1951, when India and China signed the 1954 Treaty on Tibet, and especially after India decided to grant asylum to the Dalai Lama in India in 1959. In other words, the policy decisions of the political leaders of India and China during the period from 1950-1959 contributed to the creation of the India-China border issue and have kept it intertwined with India-China relations throughout their diplomatic history to this day.

- Border incidents between the two countries are influenced by many factors, including the following:Five fundamental factors influencing India and China's border policy decisions.These five factors are historical heritage, the geostrategic importance of disputed areas, strategic competition between India and China, great power nationalism, and the two "thorns" of Tibet and Pakistan. However, these factors did not exist in their original form, but have undergone significant changes in magnitude and nature throughout each stage of the India-China bilateral relationship.

- The India-China border remains unresolved due to the question of whether the two countries have...very different approaches each otherRegarding border disputes, while India hasviewpoints based on historical and legal evidenceThen China approached the border issue.from a political and strategic perspective.

Throughout the border dispute from 1950 to 2014, the India-China border went through three basic phases. The period from 1950 to 1962 saw the India-China border relationship as a “friendly relationship with cracks”; the period from 1963 to 1987 saw the India-China border caught in a spiral of “patchwork” relations following a “breakdown” of hostility; and the period from 1989 to 2014 saw the two countries establish various stabilization measures to handle border disputes through negotiation mechanisms, but clashes occurred alongside cautious efforts to resolve conflict and build trust; coupled with heightened great power nationalism and strategic competition as both countries rose to power, further deepening mutual distrust.

- When seeking to resolve border disputes, India has shown more goodwill than China. This is evident in the actions of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (1969), Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (1988), and Prime Minister Vajpayee (2003). Prime Minister Vajpayee made a "breakthrough" in the history of border negotiations with China by accepting that resolving the border issue was not a prerequisite; instead, he focused on developing other areas with greater potential for cooperation, such as the economic sector. Meanwhile,East-West Exchange PackageThis is a consistent viewpoint in China's border policy – ​​a potential form of cooperation that benefits China.

- The author's research on border issues in India-China relations from 1950 to 2014 has helped to fill a gap in the history of the India-China border issue, thereby providing useful information for Vietnamese foreign policy planners regarding India and China.

SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS

The author's name: Huynh Thanh Loan

Thesis title:The Border Issue in India - China Relations from 1950 to 2014

Scientific branch of the thesis: History

Major: World History Code: 62 22 03 13

The name of postgraduate training institution: University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University.

1. Thesis purpose and objectives

1.1 Thesis purpose:

The thesis purpose is to clarify factors, the process of India - China border resolution and impact of the border issue on India - China relations in the period of 1950-2014. Besides, the thesis gives some recommendations on Vietnam's policy towards India, China.

1.2 Thesis objective:

The objective of the thesis is the border issue in India-China relations between 1950 and 2014.

2. Research methods

The thesis flexibly applies a number of research methods including historical method and interdisciplinary research method of history and international relations. Among them, the most important is the historical method. The thesis follows the historical progress of the issue. Based on the primary sources (documents of border talks, the notes exchanged between the two countries and so on), and the secondary sources, the thesis analyzes the process of the border issue from its beginning through periods. On the analysis, the thesis discusses the border issue in their bilateral relations in some fields.

The main factors involved in the Indo-Chinese border dispute such as geographic, historical, political factors and so on are investigated through inductive and logical reasoning. In addition to the inductive, this thesis also uses methodology of narrative analysis.

The methodology of international relations related to the border disputes is also used in the approach of realism of external threats and the linkage of countries in the international system.

The interview method is also included in the thesis.

3. Major results and conclusions

3.1.The major results

The thesis is the first comprehensive work in Vietnam that studies the border issue in India-China relations from 1950 to 2014. The research results are as follows:

- From the perspective of a Vietnamese researcher, the thesis is a comprehensive, systematic and generalized research work on the border issue in India-China relations (1950-2014), indicating the origin, the nature of the border issue, the successes and limitations of the border settlement mechanisms that the two countries have applied, and explains why the border issue has so far not resolved yet.

- The thesis has suggested some practical policies for Vietnam to develop its relations with India and China.

- The results of this thesis can be a useful reference for lecturers, researchers and those who are interested in the border issue in India-China relations.

3.2.Revisions

- India-China border issue is an issue left by history. The issue, however, is also one created by a series of events that took place after 1950 when China liberated Tibet from 1950 to1951; India and China signed the 1954 Agreement, and more particularly after India's decision to give asylum to the Dalai Lama in 1959. In other words, in the period of 1950-1959, India and China's policy decisions contributed to emergence of the Indo-Chinese border issue and made it become an invetitable part of Indo-Chinese relations throughout their bilateral diplomatic relations up to now.

- Boundary events that occur between the two countries are influenced by various, which can be identified with five basic factors that lead to the border policy decisions by India and China. These five factors are historical legacy, the geo-strategic importance of disputed areas, the strategic competition between India and China, nationalism, and two “thorns” - Tibet and Pakistan. These factors, however, have not existed in their original forms, but significantly changed in the level and nature during each period of India-China bilateral relations.

- India-China border remains unresolved is also due to the fact that the two countries have very different approaches to the border dispute. While Indian approach is based on historical and legal evidence, China approaches the border issue from a political and strategic perspective.

- During the process of the border dispute from 1950 to 2014, the Indo-Chinese border has gone through three basic periods. During the 1950-1962 period, Indo-Chinese border relations could be described as “a friendship with rifts”, while during the period 1963-1987, the Indo-Chinese border was in the vortex of a patchy relationship after a hostile “break-up”. Between 1989 and 2014, the two countries have set up different measures to handle border disputes through negotiation mechanisms; however, stand-offs go hand in hand with cautious efforts in dealing with conflicts and confidence building. There are also nationalism of “big country” and strategic competition being pushed up by both of the countries during their rise, reinforcing their mutual distrust.

- When trying to resolve border disputes, India has shown more goodwill than China. This is evident in the moves of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi (1969), Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (1988), and Prime Minister Vajpayee (2003). Vajpayee has made a “breakthrough” in the history of border negotiations with China when he comes to develop other potential cooperation fields, such as the economic one without border settlement as a precondition. Meanwhile, the Swap Deal Package is a consistent perspective of China's border policy - a form of potential cooperation beneficial to China.

- The study of the border issue in India-China relations from 1950 to 2014 has partly helped fill the gaps in our understanding of the history of this issue, providing useful information for Vietnam's foreign policy makers regarding India and China.