Jaishankar Slams China Over Lac Violations, Calls Out West Hypocrisy | American Reacts

Summary

In this insightful reaction video, the host engages with J. Shankar's critique of China's border violations and the West's inconsistent stance on global issues. Shankar emphasizes the importance of balancing principles and interests in international relations, highlighting India's position on the Indo-Pacific and its relations with China. He also clarifies misconceptions about the Quad, dispelling the notion of it being an 'Asian NATO' and emphasizing its role as a cooperative group of nations sharing common values and interests in addressing global challenges.

Takeaways

• 📢 The video discusses J. Shankar's critique of China's actions on the disputed border with India and the West's hypocrisy on global challenges.
• 🔊 J. Shankar emphasizes that no country, including the United States, can address global challenges alone, highlighting the need for collective action.
• 🌏 The conversation explores India's stance on international relations, suggesting that principles and interests should be balanced, rather than applying uniform principles worldwide.
• 🏳️‍🌈 India's position on global issues is questioned, particularly its abstention from voting on Ukraine in the UN Security Council despite its vocal opposition to China's border actions.
• 🤔 J. Shankar challenges the assumption that India's relations with the West improved solely due to tensions with China, stating that relations were already decent prior to 2020.
• ⛰️ The script addresses the impact of the 2020 Ladakh crisis on India-China relations, noting a shift from a long period of peace to a difficult phase due to China's violation of border agreements.
• 🔄 The discussion on the Quad group clarifies that it is not an 'Asian NATO' but a cooperative group of countries sharing common interests and values, without formal treaties or a secretariat.
• 📊 J. Shankar expresses skepticism about the reliability of foreign policy polls, arguing that India's relations with ASEAN are growing stronger despite a poll suggesting low trust.
• 🔗 The script touches on India's connectivity policy, advocating for transparent, commercially viable, and environmentally friendly projects that respect the sovereignty of nations.
• 💼 J. Shankar warns against countries entering into unsustainable projects that could lead to heavy debt burdens, urging due diligence and caution in international development deals.
• 🌐 The video concludes with a call for countries to be responsible and informed about the implications of the agreements they make, especially in the context of global strategic connectivity.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video reaction?

The main topic is J. Shankar's critique of China's actions over the Lac violations and his commentary on the hypocrisy of Western nations, as well as his views on the Quad and its role in the Indo-Pacific region.

What does J. Shankar suggest about the state of border relations affecting international relationships?

J. Shankar suggests that the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship, implying that border disputes can significantly impact diplomatic ties between countries.

How does J. Shankar respond to the idea that India's position on China and Ukraine are inconsistent?

J. Shankar argues that the situations in the Indo-Pacific and the transatlantic are not analogous and that there is no tradeoff where one country's actions in one region necessitate a reciprocal action in another.

What does J. Shankar believe about the application of international law and principles across the world?

He believes that principles and interests should be balanced, and that circumstances and interests play a significant role in how countries respond to international law and principles.

How does J. Shankar view the impact of the 2020 Ladakh crisis on India-China relations?

J. Shankar sees the Ladakh crisis as a significant downturn in India-China relations, attributing it to China's violation of agreements not to bring military forces to the Line of Actual Control.

What is J. Shankar's stance on the Quad being an 'Asian NATO'?

J. Shankar refutes the notion of the Quad being an 'Asian NATO', emphasizing that it is a grouping of four countries with common interests and values, without the structure or treaties of a formal alliance.

What does J. Shankar think about the role of polls in foreign policy?

J. Shankar expresses skepticism about the relevance and accuracy of polls in shaping or reflecting foreign policy, suggesting that they may not accurately represent the nuances of diplomatic relations.

How does J. Shankar describe India's approach to connectivity policy in foreign relations?

J. Shankar outlines India's connectivity policy as one that should be transparent, commercially viable, locally supported, environmentally friendly, and respectful of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries.

What is J. Shankar's perspective on countries taking advantage of competitive offers for development projects?

He encourages countries to be prudent and conduct due diligence when considering development offers, warning against the risks of unsustainable projects leading to debt and other issues.

How does J. Shankar characterize the evolution of the Quad over the years?

J. Shankar describes the Quad's evolution from an initial response to the 2004 tsunami, to a more formalized grouping of countries with common interests, culminating in summit-level meetings in recent years.

What does J. Shankar suggest about the future trajectory of the Quad in relation to China and India?

He implies that the Quad's future is not solely tethered to the behavior of China but is also influenced by the collective interests and values of its member countries, including India's independent stance.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Introduction to the Reaction Video on International Relations

The video script opens with a welcome message to viewers and an introduction to a reaction video featuring a discussion on international relations, specifically focusing on China's border violations and the West's hypocrisy. The host, J Shankar, is introduced as a commentator who will be addressing these issues. There's an invitation for viewers to support the channel by becoming members for exclusive benefits. The conversation then shifts to the impact of border disputes on global relations, emphasizing that no single country can tackle global challenges alone, and the importance of a 21st-century approach to a diversified world.

05:05

🏛️ Analyzing India's Stance on International Issues

This paragraph delves into India's position on international matters, particularly its response to China's actions on disputed borders and its abstention from voting on Ukraine in the UN Security Council. J Shankar explains that international relations are not based on a tradeoff system and that distinct challenges require distinct approaches. He argues against the idea that principles should apply uniformly worldwide, stating that interests and circumstances also play a crucial role in shaping a country's stance on global issues. The summary highlights the complexity of balancing principles and interests in foreign policy.

10:06

🌏 India-China Relations and the Impact of Border Tensions

The script discusses the downturn in India-China relations following the border crisis in June 2020. It mentions the violation of agreements by China and the subsequent military involvement from both sides, leading to a difficult phase in their relationship. J Shankar challenges the notion that India's relations with the West improved solely due to tensions with China, asserting that India's ties with the West were already decent prior to the crisis. The summary emphasizes the importance of stable border management for peaceful international relations and the role of historical agreements in maintaining peace.

15:06

📊 The Quad and Its Role in the Indo-Pacific Region

This paragraph explores the concept of the Quad, a group consisting of the United States, India, Australia, and Japan, and its potential evolution over the next decade. J Shankar clarifies that the Quad is not an 'Asian NATO' but rather a coalition of countries with common interests and values, formed in response to global challenges. He details the history of the Quad, from its inception in response to the 2004 tsunami to its current form as a summit of leaders. The summary underscores the Quad's purpose as a flexible, 21st-century approach to addressing global norms and the international rules-based order.

🌐 Strategic Connectivity and the Importance of Prudent International Relations

The final paragraph addresses the topic of strategic connectivity and the need for transparency and sustainability in international development projects. J Shankar advocates for projects that are commercially viable, environmentally friendly, and respectful of local sovereignty. He warns against the pitfalls of taking on large debts and engaging in unsustainable projects, which can have far-reaching consequences for both individual countries and the international community. The summary highlights the importance of due diligence and responsible engagement in international relations.

Keywords

💡Quad

The term 'Quad' refers to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, which is an informal strategic dialogue between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India. In the video, it is discussed as a group of countries with common interests and values, and there is a clarification that it is not an 'Asian NATO', meaning it does not have formal military alliances or a centralized command structure like NATO. The Quad is presented as a 21st-century response to global challenges, emphasizing cooperation rather than confrontation.

💡Indo-Pacific

The 'Indo-Pacific' is a geopolitical term that refers to the vast region extending from the Indian Ocean through Southeast Asia and East Asia to the Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. In the video, the Indo-Pacific is mentioned in the context of security and strategic interests, particularly in relation to China's actions in the region and how it affects the balance of power and international relations.

💡Lac violations

LAC stands for Line of Actual Control, which is the de facto border between India and China. 'Lac violations' refer to incidents where one side is accused of crossing or altering this line, leading to tensions between the two countries. In the video, it is mentioned that China has violated agreements regarding the LAC, causing a downturn in India-China relations.

💡West hypocrisy

The term 'West hypocrisy' in the video script suggests a perceived inconsistency or double standard in the way Western countries address international issues, particularly in comparison to their approach to Asia. The script implies that Western nations may not apply the same principles globally, which is a point of contention in the discussion about international relations and fairness.

💡International law

International law comprises the rules and norms governing relations between nations in the international community. In the video, the importance of adhering to international law and the principled approach to global challenges is emphasized. The discussion suggests that principles and interests should be balanced in foreign policy decisions, reflecting on how countries respond to issues like the Ukraine crisis versus the Indo-Pacific situation.

💡ASEAN

ASEAN stands for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten Southeast Asian countries. In the video, ASEAN is mentioned in the context of India's Look East Policy and the evolving security cooperation and physical connectivity with India, indicating the importance of regional partnerships in the Indo-Pacific strategy.

💡Strategic connectivity

Strategic connectivity refers to the deliberate use of infrastructure and development projects to achieve broader geopolitical goals. In the video, it is discussed in terms of India's connectivity policy, emphasizing transparency, commercial viability, and respect for sovereignty, as opposed to unilateral projects that may lead to unsustainable debt or ecological harm.

💡Rules-based order

The 'rules-based order' is a concept that emphasizes the importance of a global system governed by established international rules and norms, rather than power politics. The video discusses how challenges to this order, such as violations of international law, necessitate a collective response from countries that uphold these principles.

💡China

China is a major world power and a key player in the geopolitical narrative of the video. It is mentioned in various contexts, such as its border disputes with India, its role in the Indo-Pacific, and its influence on the global stage. The video script suggests that China's actions have significant implications for regional security and international relations.

💡J Shankar

J Shankar is presumably a person or a character in the video who is commenting on the geopolitical issues discussed. The script indicates that J Shankar is known for calling out hypocrisy and providing insightful commentary on international relations, making him a central figure in the video's narrative.

Highlights

Jen car slams China over Lac violations, addressing the issue of China's actions on the disputed border.

The channel discusses the hypocrisy of the West and the role of the Quad in international relations.

J Shankar emphasizes that no country can address global challenges alone, highlighting the need for international cooperation.

India's stance on China's border violations and the impact on Indo-Pacific security are examined.

The discussion on India's abstention from voting on Ukraine in the UN Security Council raises questions about differing principles in global politics.

J Shankar argues against the assumption of a tradeoff in international relations based on actions in different regions.

The importance of balancing principles and interests in international relations is underscored by J Shankar.

The impact of the 2020 Ladakh crisis on India-China relations and the subsequent strategic shifts are analyzed.

J Shankar challenges the correlation between the Ladakh crisis and India's improved relations with the West.

The role of the Quad is explored, with J Shankar explaining its formation and purpose beyond being an 'Asian NATO'.

The evolution of the Quad and its potential trajectory in the next decade, influenced by China and India's calculus, is discussed.

J Shankar's perspective on the importance of polls in foreign policy and their limitations is shared.

India's connectivity policy is outlined, emphasizing transparency, commercial viability, and respect for sovereignty.

The debate on strategic connectivity and its implications for international relations and development is highlighted.

J Shankar addresses the issue of unsustainable projects and the potential for debt traps in international development.

The responsibility of countries to conduct due diligence on development projects to avoid long-term issues is emphasized.

The video concludes with a call to subscribe and engage with the channel for more insightful discussions.

Transcripts

what's up guys welcome back to the

channel here we are with another

reaction video and in this video we have

Jen car slams China over Lac violations

calls out west hypocrisy says quad is

not Asian NATO oh I'm excited it's been

a minute since I got to listen to J

Shankar call out some hypocrisy before

we dive into this video if you would

like to support the channel by becoming

a member there's a join button down the

low down below all you got to do is give

quick click and you receive exclusive

benefits that I know you guys would

enjoy but let's Dive Right into this

video the Chinese violated those uh

agreements now uh the state of the

Border uh will determine the state of

the relationship in this world no

country not even the United States today

has the ability to address big Global

challenges all on the RO this is a 21st

century way of responding uh to a more

Diversified dispersed

[Music]

World Minister J shanka if it's all

right I'll begin with you uh we just

heard about how um France and Europe in

general are contributing to indopacific

uh security but since we are in Europe

I'd like to ask you how India is

contributing to European security India

has spoken out uh vifly against China um

for its actions on the disputed border

between India and China but India

however has abstained uh from voting on

Ukraine in the UN Security Council could

you please help me understand if India's

position is that different principles uh

should apply in different parts of the

world well um I don't think the uh

situations in the Indo Pacific and the

uh transatlantic are really anol

and certainly uh the the uh assumption

in your question that somehow there's a

tradeoff and you know one country does

this in the Pacific so in return you do

something else I don't think that's the

way uh international relations

work uh we have I think quite distinct

challenges uh uh what's happening here

what's happening uh in the Indo Pacific

uh in fact if there was a connection by

that logic you would have had a lot of

European powers very early taking very

sharp positions in the Indo Pacific and

we didn't see that we haven't seen that

since 2009 so now yes there is now from

last year EU strategy what you spoke

about in your remarks uh France Germany

uh Netherlands these are all very recent

developments and the problem in Indo

Pacific is not recent so so I would I

would say you really need to look at

that question again so you uh disagree

that principles um the international

rules based order international law you

disagree that that should apply across

the world uniformly no I think I I would

say principles and interests are

balanced and if people were so

principled in this part of the world

they would have been practicing the

principles in Asia or in Afghanistan

before they we've actually seen them do

yeah I would say yeah in that situation

I don't I don't

think I think circumstances do matter I

think interests do matter and interests

are going to determine whether what how

you feel about that country how you vote

on that country uh and so so forth and

so forth right uh so yeah I feel like

principles and interests have to kind of

balance out in how other countries are

treated over certain actions uh as how I

feel yeah it it just makes sense if you

ask me at the end of the day I think

it's about doing what's best for your

country and your people so let's

continue this uh

[Music]

video let's move on to the next question

to you um uh and moving away from Europe

now uh India's relations with China took

a sharp downturn in uh I think it was

around June 2020 um given the ladak

crisis on your border what has the

crisis meant for India China uh strategy

India's China strategy

and has it meant a decisive enduring

shift towards the

West uh it has look it's a uh it's a

problem we are having with

China and the problem is this that for

45 years there was uh peace uh there was

uh uh stable border management uh there

were no military casualties on the

border from 1975 oh

wow that changed uh because we had uh

agreements with China not to bring uh

military forces to the no I mean we call

it border but it's line of actual

control uh and the Chinese violated

those uh agreements

now uh the state of the Border uh will

determine the state of the relationship

that's natural so obviously uh uh

relations with China right now going

through a very difficult phase uh but uh

I would uh uh quite honestly again uh

question your question that therefore

our relations with the West are better

my relations with the West were quite

decent before June 2020 so again I would

challenge that uh that correlation that

you're

making so I feel like yeah he's saying

that isn't our issue at ATT tension that

with China That's bettered our

relationships in the west because our

relationships in the west were good

before 2020 and you know what I'm saying

it sounds like uh China started the

issue by bring they had an agreement no

military at that line of control and

China violated this agreement and so

India in return sent their military and

that's kind of when the issue started as

they're going through this rough patch

hopefully India China uh manage to

figure this out without any military

involved without any I know there

already has been issues and there has

been I believe there has been casualties

uh but hopefully uh without War they

they figure this out without without war

or anything um but I I enjoy When J sh

car talks uh I feel like I do get to

learn a lot I feel like he's just so

very well spoken and answering these

questions

[Music]

perhaps just one more question um on on

um indur and Southeast Asia um Prime

Minister Modi has um a look East uh

inact East policy um he's sought to

focus um more in Southeast Asia uh

however a recent poll um in fact I think

it was published just last week uh

indicates that um on this occasion of

30th the 30th anniversary of asan India

relations which we celebrate this year

on at this time um levels of trust

between Southeast Asian countries and

India are fairly low um India ranks uh

fifth After Japan the United States the

EU China and only

16.6% of respondents in this poll um

have said that they have confidence in

India what do you think India can do

better to leverage its great soft power

in the region

I'm a politician so I believe in polls

but I've never seen a poll which has

made any sense to me when it comes to

foreign policy so I guess the one you

cited probably is part of a long list

there but uh I would say that uh our

relations right now with the aan are

actually uh growing well uh we I mean if

I were to actually look at the evolution

the two big changes which are taking

place uh we have much stronger security

cooperation uh with the asan I've just

come from a trip to the Philippines

where we've actually signed uh

agreements for uh for military supplies

to the

Philippines uh we have strong we are

part of admm plus we have strong

bilateral uh relations with Singapore

Indonesia uh and uh Vietnam amongst

others uh so uh and the other is

physical connectivity so so uh I hate to

challenge you for the fourth time but I

don't think that

PO I hate to challenge you for the

fourth time but I don't think the polls

are very good and um it what it to me it

sounds like from him speaking that polls

I guess foreign policy polls maybe

aren't the best because he's saying we

have built relations with a lot of these

countries in this region and so we're

actually they're actually becoming

better so it's like that poll just it

doesn't make

[Music]

sense it's good to still be consider as

young and be back here in Munich um the

first informal meeting of quad I think

was in Manila and it was a decade later

that the leaders of quad actually again

in Manila came to meet each other uh

recently we had a presidential debate in

the Philippines and it seems even our

presidential candidates don't know what

is the quad all about can you tell us

about quad what is it is it the Asian

NATO is it NATO with Asian Cor istic is

it just an ad hoc body uh and to what

degree does the evolution of quad maybe

in the next 10 years Tethered to

behavior of China and by that matter

also calculus of India because we have

three treaty allies here India is not so

I think to what degree does China and

India's calculus play into the

trajectory of quad in the next decade or

so thank you very much I assume that's

at me right uh look you know the the

first time the quad countries came

together was actually in 2004 uh for the

in response to the Boxing Day tsunami uh

and uh I had an association with it I

was the country coordinator in a sense

for India for that response then their

representatives met in 2007 as you said

in Manila but the countries were not

sufficiently invested in it politically

so they kind of let it Fritter away and

uh then they met again a deade later uh

in 2017 in September uh this time at a

higher level uh of a sort of permanent

secretary Vice Minister sort of level

2019 it became ministers which was when

we first met uh and 2021 it's become a

summit now what is the quad about you

know it's in a sense natural because

partly you're sitting in Europe but also

because uh uh all of us pull out

Concepts from

uh

pre-existing lexicon to say it's an

Asian NATO because it's it's a very

convenient if completely misleading term

but still very convenient uh and of

course there are interested parties uh

who advance that kind of

analogy I would put it to you as four

countries who have common uh interests

common values a great deal of comfort

now obviously if there are challenges to

Global Norms Global Order to

international law to rules based order

it makes sense that you know anybody

who's working for the good will also

look at challenges to the good uh so I

would urge you not to slip into that uh

I mean forgive my saying so that lazy

analogy of Asian natto it isn't because

uh there are three countries who are

treaty allies we are not a treaty Ally

uh what doesn't have uh a treaty it

doesn't have a structure it doesn't have

a Secretariat it's a kind of 20 you know

this is a 21st century way of responding

uh to a more Diversified dispersed world

sorry for a long answer but I thought

it's a good explanation that was a good

explanation I appreciate it the long

answer

uh so they're they're not like they're

not going to be like an Asian NATO

because there's no treaties there's no

right nothing like that uh

huh but it's just I guess a group of

four countries that agree on the same

thing have the same values that kind of

I guess agree on the same Global

issues that come together and try to to

figure things out I guess in a sense of

also look at at threats that could

change some of those values or Global

things going on in the world global

trade I'm assuming

that's that's kind of what I pulled from

from it please correct me if I'm

[Music]

wrong you know in

2016 we were I think among the first or

probably the first country who actually

uh laid out uh in detail uh our uh

connectivity policy and we did so

because we could see there was a

building debate about strategic

connectivity how to use connectivity for

strategic

purposes uh now uh essentially what we

uh suggested was that connectivity

should be transparent it should be

commercially based it should have local

buying it should not create debt it

should be environmentally and

ecologically friendly uh it should not

be unilateral and it should not violate

the uh sovereignty and territorial

Integrity of countries it should not be

built unilaterally by other

[Applause]

[Music]

countries there are competitive offers

for development projects why should

countries not take advantage of it I

mean agreed I could rephrase it in a way

uh you know that look it's international

relations is competitive every country

will look for opportunities and see what

it can do but while doing so it's in

their own interest to be prudent about

what they're getting into to do the due

diligence we have seen now countries

including in our region being saddled

with uh large debts we have seen

projects where which are commercially

unsustainable airports where a aircraft

doesn't come harbors where a ship

doesn't come uh so uh I think people

would be justified in asking themselves

what am I getting into uh and and uh you

know it's it's obviously in the interest

of the con country concern but it's also

in in the interest of the International

Community because bad you know

unsustainable projects don't end there

they then often the next is debt becomes

equity and that becomes something

else that becomes equity and that

becomes something else uh facts you

definitely I feel like definitely as a

country should be responsible for

knowing exist exactly what you're

getting into exactly what you're signing

up for um but I just uh love listening

to Jos shank car I feel like he's so

he's so well spoken uh and it's so easy

to understand them but that's all we

have with these videos If you guys

enjoyed that please don't forget to

subscribe give the video a thumbs up and

check out the next one it's your boy Dil

out