Author name: Huynh Thanh Loan

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

Dissertation field: 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 research objects of the thesis

1.1. Research purpose:

The research purpose of the thesis is to clarify the influencing factors, the process of resolving border issues and the impact of border issues on India-China relations in the period 1950-2014, and at the same time, to propose some policy recommendations for Vietnam in its relations with India and China.

1.2. Research subjects:

The research object of the thesis is the border issue in India - China relations from 1950 to 2014.

2. Research methods used

The thesis flexibly applies specialized and interdisciplinary research methods of history and international relations. The most important of which ishistorical research methods. The process of developing the thesis will follow the historical process of the problem. Based on original sources (negotiation documents, notes exchanged between the two countries, etc.), and secondary sources, the thesis will analyze the process of the border issue arising and developing through the stages; thereby, the thesis comments on the border issue in the relationship between the two countries in a number of fields.

The main factors related to the India-China border dispute such as geographical, historical, political factors, etc. will be studied through inductive and deductive research methods. Besides the inductive method, this thesis also usesnarrative analysis method.

Research methods in international relationsBorder disputes will also be applied by the author based on the realist approach to external threats and the interconnectedness of states in the international system.

Expert interview methodwill also be incorporated by the author in the process of implementing the thesis.

3. Main results and conclusions

3.1. Main results

The thesis is the first monograph in Vietnam to study the border issue in India - China relations from 1950 to 2014. The research results have the following new points:

-From the perspective of Vietnamese researchers, the thesis has comprehensively, systematically and highly generalized the border issue in India - China relations (1950-2014), pointed out the origin and nature of the border issue, the successes and limitations of the border dispute resolution mechanisms that the two countries have implemented, and explained why the border issue has not been resolved to date.

-The thesis has suggested a number of policies for Vietnam when developing relations with India and China.

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

3.2. Conclusion

- The India-China border issue is a historical issue. However, the India-China border issue is also a problem created by a series of events that took place after 1950 when China “liberated” Tibet in 1950-1951, when India and China signed the 1954 Agreement on Tibet, and more specifically 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 made it accompany India-China relations throughout the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries until now.

- Border events occurring between two countries are affected by many factors, which can be identified asFive fundamental factors leading to India and China's border policy decisions. These five factors are historical legacy, 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 do not exist in their original form, but have undergone significant changes in their intensity and nature throughout the stages of India-China bilateral relations.

- The India-China border remains unresolved as the two countries havevery different approaches each otherfor border disputes. While India hasview based on historical and legal evidence, then China approaches the border issuefrom a political and strategic perspective.

- During the course of the border dispute from 1950 to 2014, the India-China border went through three basic stages. In the 1950-1962 period, the India-China border relationship could be described as a “friendly relationship with cracks”; in the 1963-1987 period, the India-China border was in the vortex of a “patchwork” relationship after the “breakdown” of hostility; and in the 1989-2014 period, the two countries established various stabilization measures to handle border disputes through negotiation mechanisms, but clashes occurred alongside cautious efforts to handle conflicts and build trust; along with that, great power nationalism and strategic competition were further heightened as both countries rose, deepening mutual distrust.

- In seeking to resolve the border dispute, India has shown more goodwill than China. This is clearly demonstrated through the actions of Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi (1969), Rajiv Gandhi (1988), and Vajpayee (2003). Vajpayee made a “breakthrough” in the history of border negotiations with China when he accepted that there was no need to resolve the border issue as a precondition; instead, he developed other areas with great potential for cooperation, such as the economic sector. Meanwhile,East-West Exchange Packageis a consistent view in China's border policy - a form of potential cooperation that benefits China.

- The author's research on the border issue in India-China relations from 1950 to 2014 has partly helped fill the gap in the history of the India-China border issue, thereby providing useful information for Vietnam's foreign policy makers with 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.Conclusions

- 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.