Chapter 4 – Alternative Centres of Power :Important Questions and Answers

List of Questions and Answers

1.What does the logo on the ASEAN flag symbolise?

Ans:
In the ASEAN logo, the ten stalks of paddy (rice) represent the ten Southeast Asian countries bound together in friendship and solidarity. The circle symbolises the unity of ASEAN.

2.Why was ASEAN established?

Ans:
The objectives of ASEAN were primarily to accelerate economic growth and through that "social progress and cultural development".

3.What do ASEAN and FTA stand for ?

Ans:
ASEAN - the Association of South East Asian Nations.
FTA - Free Trade Area

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4.Analyse the causes for the rise of the Chinese economy.

Ans:
The chinese took some major policy decision which was the reason for the rise in the chinese economy.

  • The first major decision was to end its political and economic isolation with the establishment of relations with the United States in 1972.
  • China's leader Premier Zhou Enlai proposed the "four modernisations"(agriculture, industry, science and technology and military) in 1973.
  • By 1978, the then leader Deng Xiaoping announced the ‘open door’ policy and economic reforms in China. The policy was to generate higher productivity by investments of capital and technology from abroad.
  • They started with privatisation of agriculture in 1982 , followed by the privatisation of industry in 1998.
  • Privatisation of agriculture led to a remarkable rise in agricultural production and rural incomes.
  • High personal savings in the rural economy lead to an exponential growth in rural industry. The Chinese economy, including both industry and agriculture, grew at a faster rate.
  • Trade barriers were eliminated only in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) where foreign investors could set up enterprises.The new trading laws and the creation of Special Economic Zones led to a phenomenal rise in foreign trade.

5.Explain the economic and political influence of European Union.

Ans:
Economic Influence:

  • The EU is the world's biggest economy with a GDP of more than $12 trillion in 2005, slightly larger than that of the United States.
  • Its currency, the euro, can pose a threat to the dominance of the US dollar.
  • Its share of world trade is three times larger than that of the United States allowing it to be more assertive in trade disputes with the US and China.
  • It functions as an important bloc in international France, hold permanent seats on the UN Security Council.
Political Influence
  • The EU includes several non-permanent members of the UNSC.
  • This has enabled the EU to influence some US policies such as the current US position on Iran's nuclear programme.

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6.State some important features of European Union that make them a very influential organisation.

Ans:
Following are the features that make EU very influential:

  • EU has its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency.
  • They have a common foreign and security policy in dealings with other nations.
  • The European Union has tried to expand areas of cooperation while acquiring new members, especially from the erstwhile Soviet bloc.
  • The EU is the world's biggest economy with a GDP of more than $12 trillion in 2005, slightly larger than that of the United States.
  • Its currency, the euro, can pose a threat to the dominance of the US dollar.
  • Its share of world trade is three times larger than that of the United States allowing it to be more assertive in trade disputes with the US and China.
  • It also functions as an important bloc in international France, hold permanent seats on the UN Security Council.
  • The EU's combined armed forces are the second largest in the world.Its total spending on defence is second after the US.

7.What does ASEAN stand for? What are the main objectives of ASEAN?

Ans:
ASEAN - ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS.
The main objectives of ASEAN are as follows:
ASEAN was established in 1967 by five countries of this region — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand — by signing the Bangkok Declaration.
The main objectives of ASEAN are :

  • To accelerate economic growth and through that "social progress and cultural development".
  • To promote regional peace and stability based on the rule of law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.
  • ASEAN has focused on creating a Free Trade Area (FTA) for investment, labour, and services.
  • The ASEAN security community objective is that the outstanding territorial disputes should not escalate into armed confrontation.
  • The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which was established in 1994, is the organisation that carries out coordination of security and foreign policy.
  • The objectives of the ASEAN Economic Community are to create a common market and production base.

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8.Describe few significant changes in the Indo-China relations that have taken place since the end of the Cold War.

Ans:
Following are the changes seen in the Indo-China relations:

  • Both China and India believe themselves as rising powers in global politics, and both would like to play a major role in the Asian economy and politics.
  • Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China in December 1988 provided the improvement in India–China relations.After that both governments have taken measures to contain conflict and maintain "peace and tranquility" on the border.
  • Both sides have signed agreements on cultural exchanges and cooperation in science and technology, and opened four border posts for trade.
  • Bilateral trade between India and China has increased from $338 million in 1992 to more than $18 billion in 2006.
  • India and China have adopted similar policies in international economic institutions like the World Trade Organisation.
  • Increasing transportation and communication links, common economic interests and global concerns should help establish a more positive and sound relationship between the two most populous countries of the world.

9.Name the pillars and the objectives of ASEAN community.

Ans:
The pillars of ASEAN Community are

  • the ASEAN Security Community,
  • the ASEAN Economic Community and
  • the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
Following are the objectives of ASEAN Community:
ASEAN Security Community
  • It was based on the opinion that outstanding territorial disputes should not escalate into armed confrontation.
  • By 2003, ASEAN had several agreements in place by which member states promised to uphold peace, neutrality, cooperation, non-interference, and respect for national differences and sovereign rights.
  • The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), which was established in 1994, is the organisation that carries out coordination of security and foreign policy.
ASEAN Economic Community
  • The objectives of the ASEAN Economic Community are to create a common market and production base within ASEAN states and to aid social and economic development in the region.
  • ASEAN has focused on creating a Free Trade Area (FTA) for investment, labour, and services.
ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
  • The objectives of ASEAN were primarily to accelerate economic growth and through that "social progress and cultural development".
  • The vision of ASEAN by 2020, is to have an outward-looking role in the international community.
  • ASEAN has mediated the end of the Cambodian conflict, the East Timor crisis, and meets annually to discuss East Asian cooperation.
  • ASEAN's strength lies in its policies of interaction and consultation with member states, with dialogue partners, and with other non-regional organisations.
  • It is the only regional association in Asia that provides a political forum where Asian countries and the major powers can discuss political and security concerns.