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In Bangkok opened this Saturday, November 2, the summit of Asean, whose major stake is the signing of an Asian regional free trade agreement that would cover half of the world's population. But India is pushing to block the process.
With our correspondent in Bangkok, Carol Isoux
India is not officially part of the 10 ASEAN member countries, but so-called partner countries with China, Japan and Korea. New Delhi fears seeing the Indian market flooded with cheap Chinese products , including cell phones.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Bangkok, said he wanted to see the free trade deal not just for manufactured products, where China has the advantage, but also for services, where India occupies a regional leader position.
Asean has been for centuries at the crossroads of Indo-Chinese influences, the two powers compete for cultural and economic hegemony over the region.
For China, Asean is an important part of the "New Silk Roads" , a global infrastructure plan serving China's ambitions. For India, the region is a key part of the "Act East" policy that gives priority to Asian trade.
It remains to be seen whether ASEAN countries will decide to sign an agreement without the support of India.