India and China are two big powers of Asia. They are also world’s two most populous countries. They have a long common border and also share unprecedented maritime trade and security interests. Given their several millennia history in the past, there seems nothing that should cause irritation in their relationship. In the context of contemporary geopolitics largely conditioned by economic imperatives, we are inclined to think that India and China could offer ideal partnership in the development and reconstruction process of the nations in the region.
This concept of reasoned understanding between the two ancient and matured nations of the Asian Continent, India and China, formed the basis of Nehru’s doctrine of Panchsheel way back in 1953 that was floated in Bandung Conference. It was in the background of this lofty concept that India proposed and supported China’s membership in the UN Security Council.
Unfortunately, Chinese leadership was thinking the other way, and nursed feelings of rivalry against India. Chinese thrust across our eastern border in 1962 was most unexpected; it shattered the dream of those who thought that a new chapter was about to be opened in the history of international diplomacy when two big nations contiguous to each other had formally decided to live in peace and mutual respect. After Chinese volte face, a long stalemate ensued between the two countries and they drifted apart.
China adopted brazen hostile stance against us. First she entered into nexus with our western recalcitrant neighbour in pursuance of Maoist dictum that enemy’s enemy is a friend. Then Beijing embarked on its ambition of territorial expansion, contending that its borders with India were illegally drawn by the British and that China repudiated the same. She laid claim to our eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh and also began intruding into Ladakh in J&K State without any provocation. She occupied Tibet by force of arms and sent Dalai Lama and his men on forced exile. Then she embarked on the policy of encirclement of India. Construction of Karakorum Highway connecting Xinjiang with Gawadar port in Makran coast of Pakistan, and building of Hambantota port on the southern tip of Sri Lanka and expanding naval ambitions in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal are clear manifestations of her expansionist designs. She pressurized Viet Nam not to sell coal block to India. She has been active in Myanmar trying to undermine India’s interests.
Apart from these acts of stark hostility, China has, of lately adopted two- pronged policy. On the one hand she claims Arunachal as its territory and disputes the existing border not only in Arunachal but also in Ladakh around Daulat Beig Oldi in Despong valley. On the other hand, she conducts “strategic dialogue” with India to create the impression that the border intrusions are petty matters and should be resolved without much ado. In recent past China has been regularly intruding into our territories along the border. She intruder 20 miles inside in DBO and more recently on 19 August she repeated the practice in Chagalgam area of Arunachal. On being confronted by Indian forces, the PLA retired to their side.
What is China up to? Close examination and analysis of Chinese new tactics shows that Beijing has two objectives in resorting to intermittent illegal border crossing and encamping perfunctorily on our soil. One is to test whether India is prepared to react and retaliate or not. This helps her to streamline her border policy according to the expected reaction. Second motive is to keep Indian army spread out along vast border in Arunachal and Ladakh so that she cannot focus on her western border where Pakistani troops and jihadis acting in unison violate the cease fire agreement and open unprovoked firing on Indian posts. In this scenario, the bilateral talks farcically called “strategic dialogue” held last week in New Delhi are only a mask to cover Beijing’s real designs. It should be now clear to the authorities in New Delhi that Chinese word has two meanings, one for them and the other for us.
One feels that India, when talking to the Chinese counterpart, is feeling shy of something. We don’t know of what. We cannot have strategic dialogue in New Delhi/Beijing and 20 mile deep intrusion into our territory by the party with whom we shall be talking and bringing the perfidy to its notice.
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