China’s movements along our borders are a mystery. She seldom lets any country know what posture she may adopt when and where. Land grabbing is her old habit. Now that we have had to deal with China directly, we find that it is too unrealistic to trust the Chinese in what she may commit. China held joint military exercises with India recently and it had generated the hope that relations between the two might normalize and even improve. But this was a false indication. There are reports of PLA obstructing India in laying the pipeline to bring water of Hot Springs to the people living in border area of Damchok. But Chinese soldiers have objected and asked India to stop laying of pipes because, as they said, it was a disputed area. India has disregarded their claims and said that there was no need of informing the Chinese because India was laying pipes on her own territory. Further, India was not doing any military exercise. Chinese troops relented for a day but then reappeared and began fixing tents close to the border. Obviously, they have not done it without ill will. Our army spokesperson has said that there is no standoff between the two armies. Nevertheless, the two forces are standing before one another with eyesight fixed on the movement of the other side. We hope differences do not accelerate and that good sense will prevail on either side not to violate the LoC in Ladakh or any other area. Sections of press may play down the event, but the harsh reality is that China has not shown her readiness to abide by the terms of mutual agreements. In the present case she has taken a unilateral action that was not warranted.
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