Bibek Chand

University of North Georgia | UNG · Department of Political Science and International Affairs

China has always been an important neighbour to Nepal which has otherwise historically been heavily influenced by India. The ‘rise of China’ has created a more outward-looking Middle Kingdom and so its influence in Nepal has significantly increased within the last decade. As a consequence, Nepal is experiencing growing interest from China. This art...

This article takes a closer look at how China’s government deals with border minorities in the foreign relations with its neighboring South Asian states. To secure its periphery, China has been known to push its neighbors to support border security, including repressive measures against refugee populations which could potentially threaten China’s d...

This book explores buffer states' agency beyond being highly interactive spaces for the competing strategic and security interests of larger powers. Analysing twenty-one political events the author offers a new conceptual framework for the buffer state, which emphasizes strategic utility and agency of the buffer state. Applying this to the case stu...

As colleges and universities push to offer more online offerings, particularly during this current pandemic, concerns about upholding standards of excellence surface. As a result, programs like Quality Matters (QM) have flourished in an attempt to make courses not only easily accessible, but also tied to learning outcomes. This paper takes a look a...

This chapter examines the EU’s interactions on the level of FTAs with Southeast Asian countries with a focus on two sets of ASEAN states: Vietnam and Singapore, where deals have been concluded and are in effect as of 2019 and 2020, respectively. It also covers Indonesia and Thailand, with which negotiations are ongoing since 2016 and on hold since...

This chapter highlights the historically convergent democratic values of the European Union and India and what that means for their growing common strategic interests. EU’s foreign policy historically showcased a strong commitment towards democratic norms. India’s independence from Britain in 1947 made it the world’s largest democracy. Thus, the po...

This chapter summarizes the findings of the core chapters regarding relations between Europe and Asia and the new challenges and opportunities. It contextualizes them in the current global situation given the rise of China, the U.S.’s retrenchment, the aspirations of the EU as a global player, and the COVID-19 global pandemic. Furthermore, it provi...

“Bibek Chand and Lukas K. Danner take the reader through the current state of EU-Asia relations, with a natural focus on China, encompassing all relevant topics from trade to foreign policy and social issues. The editors offer an up-to-date analysis, making this volume a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary international politics.” —Ange...

In recent years, securitisation discourses related to regional constructs in Asia have galvanised a shift from the Asia-Pacific to the Indo-Pacific. China’s rise, particularly the perceived assertiveness and counter-normative nature of its foreign policy, have promoted a growing discourse of enmity, unease and fear, thus facilitating its securitisa...

The article analyzes the security dynamics of competing regional powers that have the added characteristic of geographic contiguity. It argues that geographic contiguity further exacerbates rivalry between two rising regional powers. As geographically contiguous regional powers attempt to build regional security frameworks as a step toward possible...

The disruptive forces resulting from China’s reemergence as a global power has challenged the existing order in the Indo-Pacific. As its political, economic, and military capabilities have developed, China has become increasingly assertive along its maritime periphery in the East and South China Seas. Furthermore, it has begun to project power into...

In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal, China and India immediately sent relief teams. The relief efforts in Nepal showcase a competitive aspect of the two major regional powers, as China seeks to gradually increase its influence in South Asia. This article analyses how these two governments utilised relief efforts to increase influence...

China’s ascent has led to its securitization by its neighbouring states, particularly given its precarious maritime claims in the highly strategic Indo-Pacific basin. Such a development in the region has allowed India and Japan to forge closer strategic partnerships in Southeast Asia. This paper utilizes securitization theory to analyse the emergin...