BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

CHINESE AND INDIAN RESPONSES TO ROHINGYA CRISIS: THE CONVERGENCE OF COMPETING POWERS

Author: A.S.M. Tarek Hassan Semul

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2023v44n2a2

ABSTRACT

The paper argues that despite being regional competitors, China and India’s competition over Myanmar created a point of convergence in their response to the Rohingya crisis. Although the persecution of the Rohingyas was labelled as the textbook case of “ethnic cleansing” by the international community, this could not deviate New Delhi and Beijing from striving for their objectives in Naypyidaw. Therefore, this paper argues, given the differences between India and China’s internal (political system, political culture, values, norms) and external (worldview, zero-sum strategic objectives, often divergent ) contexts, the Chinese and Indian responses to the Rohingya crisis present a paradox. Despite their regional competition for influence, China and India have had a policy convergence in Myanmar. This convergence is directly connected to their strategic, political and economic aspirations in the Indo-Pacific regions. The paper further argues that Myanmar receives more strategic value than Bangladesh from China and India.