THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CHINA AND INDIA AFTER 2005

In 2010 China and India celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations. Both countries are fast growing economies, which are increasing military spending that is why they are the two main powers in Asia. China and India fought a war in 1962 and still have disputed land borders. Economy and military spending are not the only elements that should be observed when we talk about these countries. Another important element is Pakistan’s role in the region. India disclosed its concerns regarding especially the closeness between China and Pakistan in security and nuclear matters. Resources, disputed land borders and Pakistan’s role are the three elements that make the relationship prone to difficulties. Both could choose to cooperate - by finding common interests and instruments to obtain these interests or could choose to have a difficult and unpredictable relation. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between China and India after 2005, when they have signed the “strategic partnership”, which creates the legal framework for cooperation to see if they have the same relation when it comes to regional issues as when it comes to global problems. The second propose is to explain the differences or the similarities between their behaviour. In the first part I’ll focus on the economic dimension and on how increasing cooperation in this sector can promote a stable and comfortable foundation for both of them. In the second part I’ll explain how they relate to land borders disputes. In the third part I’ll present the current situation between Pakistan and China and on the other hand between India and Pakistan. In the last part I’ll identify and interpret the causes that are leading to similar or different actions.