TOPIC OF THE DAY:-“Two trend lines”
The two slow moving trend lines clearly discernible since the Cold War ended a quarter century ago are the shift of the geopolitical centre of gravity from the Euro-Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific region and the rise of China. The U.S. ‘rebalancing’ announced in 2011 was a belated recognition of these changes, driven home by the impact of the 2008 financial crisis. Most of the rivalries are being played out in the crowded geopolitical space of the Indo-Pacific, and Asian economies now account for more than half of global GDP and becoming larger in coming years. China’s rise is reflected in a more assertive China. According to President Xi Jinping’s ‘two guides’ policy announced in February, China should guide ‘the shaping of the new world order’ and safeguarding ‘international security’. Much has changed during the last quarter century when Deng Xiaoping advised China ‘to observe calmly, secure its position, hide its capability, bide its time and not claim leadership’. Today’s China is not just willing but eager to assume leadership and expects other countries to yield space. China has suggested ‘a new type of great power relations’ to the U.S. Its assertiveness in the East China Sea with Japan and in the South China Sea with its Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbours sends a signal that while multipolarity may be desirable in a global order, in Asia, China is the predominant power and must be treated as such. Even though China has been a beneficiary of the U.S.-led global order, it is impatient that it does not enjoy a position that it feels it deserves, especially in the Bretton Woods institutions. During the last five years, it has set about creating a new set of institutions (the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank) and launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to create a new trading infrastructure that reflects China’s centrality as the largest trading nation. The BRI is also complemented by a growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean. Beginning in 2009, the PLA Navy started rotating three ship task forces through the Indian Ocean as part of the anti-piracy task force off the Somalia coast. Visits by nuclear attack submarines to littoral ports began to take place. In addition to Gwadar, China is now converting the supply facility at Djibouti into a full-fledged military base.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) Geopolitical
Meaning: Political activity as influenced by the physical features of a country or area of the world.
Example: These developments are having a major impact on the geopolitics of the region.
2) Inflexion
Meaning: A change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender.
Example: A set of word forms differing only in respect of inflections.
Synonyms: Conjugation, Declension
3) Discernible
Meaning: Able to be discerned; perceptible.
Example: The scandal had no discernible effect on his career.
Synonyms: Visible, Noticeable
Antonyms: Imperceptible
4) Belated
Meaning: Coming or happening later than should have been the case.
Example: A belated apology.
Synonyms: Late, Overdue
Antonyms: Early
5) Rivalries
Meaning: Competition for the same objective or for superiority in the same field.
Example: There always has been intense rivalry between the clubs.
Synonyms: Competitiveness, Competition
6) Bide
Meaning: Remain or stay somewhere.
Example: How long must I bide here to wait for the answer?
7) Assertiveness
Meaning: Confident and forceful behaviour.
Example: She has difficulty standing up for herself, even when assertiveness may be warranted.
8) Force off
Meaning: To make someone or a group resign from a board, committee, panel, etc.
Example: They forced off the dissenters as well as the CEO.
9) Littoral
Meaning: Relating to or situated on the shore of the sea or a lake.
Example: The littoral states of the Indian Ocean.
10) Invoking
Meaning: Cite or appeal to (someone or something) as an authority for an action or in support of an argument.
Example: The antiquated defence of insanity is rarely invoked in England.
Synonyms: Cite, Instance
Antonyms: Waive
11) Onerous
Meaning: (Of a task or responsibility) involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty.
Example: He found his duties increasingly onerous.
Synonyms: Burdensome, Heavy
Antonyms: Easy, Effortless
12) Harangues
Meaning: A lengthy and aggressive speech.
Example: They were subjected to a ten-minute harangue by two border guards.
Synonyms: Tirade, Lecture
Antonyms: Panegyric
13) Rattled
Meaning: Make or cause to make a rapid succession of short, sharp knocking sounds.
Example: The roof rattled with little gusts of wind.
Synonyms: Clatter, Bang
14) Reluctantly
Meaning: In an unwilling and hesitant way.
Example: He reluctantly agrees to do his duty.
15) Stand-off
Meaning: Move or keep away.
Example: The women stood off at a slight distance.
16) Coercive
Meaning: Relating to or using force or threats.
Example: Coercive measures
17) Hostile
Meaning: Showing or feeling opposition or dislike; unfriendly.
Example: A hostile audience.
Synonyms: Antagonistic, Aggressive
Antonyms: Friendly, Mild
18) Rhetoric
Meaning: The art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
Example: He is using a common figure of rhetoric, hyperbole.
Synonyms: Oratory, Diction
19) Stapled
Meaning: Attach or secure with a staple or staples.
Example: Merrill stapled a batch of papers together.
20) Incursions
Meaning: An invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one.
Example: Incursions into enemy territory.
Synonyms: Attack on, Assault on
Antonyms: Retreat
