THANK HU:

China oil rivalry pushes India, Taiwan closer (Antoaneta Bezlova, 10/05/05, Asia Times)

Frustrated in their futile attempt to team up with China in the search for new energy sources, Indian companies are mulling oil alliances with Taiwanese partners and drawing plans for future joint exploration in areas aggressively targeted by Chinese oil firms.

Recent overtures on the Indian side to lure Beijing into energy partnerships have produced no results and left New Delhi with little option but to seek cooperation with China's archrival, Taiwan, claimed an Indian academic in Beijing this week. ''India's oil minister has been desperately looking for partnerships with Chinese companies, but there is little interest on their side in forging such alliances,'' Madhav Nalapat, professor of geopolitics at Manipal Academy of Higher Education, said in Beijing.

It's always nice when the enemy helps you forge the alliance against him.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 4, 2005 8:53 AM