Daily News Simplified -

DNS
05 01 22
Notes
SL. THE HINDU
TOPICS
NO. PAGE NO.

1 The bottom line in Blinken’s foray into Southeast Asia 06

2 Sri Lanka Cabinet clears oil tank deal 08

3 The hint of a ‘one nation one NGO’ regime 07

1. UPSC Current Affairs: The bottom line in Blinken’s foray into Southeast Asia | Pg 06

UPSC Syllabus: Prelims: International Relations | Mains: GS Paper-II – International Relations

Sub Theme: America and the Indo – Pacific | Geo-politics of Indo-Pacific | Response of ASEAN | UPSC

America and the Indo - Pacific

 
Date: 05-Jan-2022 DNS Notes - Revision

● The United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken visited Southeast Asia for the first time in
December 2021. Highlighting the importance the US administration accords to the Indo - Pacific
region.
● He laid out - five core principles shaping the American strategy of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
 
Projecting itself as a reliable partner
 
● This move seen as a projection that - America’s Indo-Pacific policy is not just aimed at deterring
Chinese aggressiveness.
● It was also about projecting the U.S. as a reliable partner in meeting the challenges that the Indo-
Pacific region is facing.
 

 
 
 Geo-politics of Indo-Pacific
 
● Emerging as a Geo-Political Theatre because of US - China rivalry.
● Both China and the U.S. are trying to lure the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN)
countries to their side.
 
Areas of competition between the US and China -
Date: 05-Jan-2022 DNS Notes - Revision

● China is increasing its influence through its economic might and its aggressiveness in the South
China Sea.
● Southeast Asia has been one of the top recipients of Chinese investments under its Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI).
● China has been heavily investing in port and railway connectivity in countries such as Indonesia
and Vietnam.
● US has been focussing on the region through - QUAD, AUKUS, Blue dot network, Freedom of
Navigation operations in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
● Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the U.S.) have provided more than $48 billion in government-
backed financing for infrastructure for the region.
● Infrastructure coordination group launched by the Quad members is focussing on increasing
investments on infrastructure development in the region.

Response of ASEAN nations

● Southeast Asian nations have been reluctant in taking sides between the US and China.
● These nations do not have a uniform approach when it comes to dealing with the U.S. and China.
● Such an approach is challenging the often touted ASEAN centrality in the Indo-Pacific. 

: America and the Indo – Pacific | Geo-politics of Indo-Pacific | Response of ASEAN

: America and the Indo – Pacific | Geo-politics of Indo-Pacific | Response of ASEAN