Round
The World
New Delhi,
29 May 2020
Chinese Incursions
NEW DELHI’S OPTIONS
By Dr D. K. Giri
(Prof. International
Politics, JMI)
Chinese troops have moved into three-odd
kilometers of the Indian territory in Ladakh and have built camps. Indian
troops are engaged in skirmishes with Chinese troops along the India-China
border. New Delhi is trying to sort this out with talks and negotiations. Some
five high-level meetings have already taken place, but the stand-off continues
and the incursion has not been reversed yet.
The discussion in the media, among observers,
analysts and experts is centered on conjectures about Chinese intent on
embarking on this latest border incursion, and how should India respond to it!
Parliament is not in session, so no debate, and both Government and Opposition
are intriguingly laconic on it. Not that we have been caught on the hop by the
Chinese. As per reports in public domain, there were 326 incursions in 2018
which more than doubled to 600 in 2019. Assuming that such incursions have been
reversed, this is a recurring pattern at India-China border. More shocking news
is China is in illegal occupation of thousands of kilometers of Indian
territories in addition to Aksai Chin.
It is a futile debate what instigated China
to commit the incursion at the pandemic time. Some observers have cited as
possible reasons: the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J& K,
the barriers imposed on Chinese FDI, New Delhi’s position on allowing Huawei
marketing the flagship Chinese 5G network, New Delhi building infrastructure on
India-Nepal border, or seducing the investors seeking to relocate away from
China. Another probable point for Chinese provocation, not mentioned yet, is
India taking over the chairmanship of WHO Executive Committee, which might consider
favorably the participation and eventual membership of Taiwan in the WHO.
It is of little consequence to find out the
reasons for Chinese action. Beijing believes in bullying and bending countries
to make them accept its positions on bilateral and intentional issues. Be that
as it may, the stark and shocking reality staring at us is that Chinese troops
are in our territory on the pretext of calling it disputed. How do we rebuff
them and prevent them from trespassing in future? That is the only question
that should engage us now.
Experts and observers point to three
strategies. One, a somewhat hawkish approach is to stand up to the Chinese like
we did in Doklam, enhance our military build-up along LAC, push them back from
our territory, even if it leads to a military confrontation. Some would caution
that India cannot afford the diversion and the cost at this critical time.
The second strategy, popular in diplomatic
and economic circles is to defuse the crisis by talks and negotiations. If the crisis
could be resolved without confrontation, that is preferable. But what does
defusing mean, a nebulous word really in this context, when Chinese have
illegally entered our territory. One remembers Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister
in January 1980 talking of defusing the Afghan crisis as Soviet Union was in
occupation of the country.
The third one is to shift the conflict to
another area, say South China Sea, or Indo-Pacific arena. That will divert
China’s attention and energy. This strategy should have been unrelentingly
applied by New Delhi before the current border skirmishes and after. Shifting
the area of conflict may not make China withdraw, but may come under some
pressure.
To recall from history, New Delhi has faulted
in dealing with China ever since the days of Nehru. Many observers have failed
to detect Nehru’s motivation in deferring to China. Even Prime Minster Modi has
fumbled on dealing with China. The stroll and swing diplomacy reflecting the
so-called Wuhan spirit in 2018, and the dinner diplomacy next year in Chennai
called ‘China Connect’ sent the wrong message to our friends and partners that
we are trying to placate China. On the back of this summit, Xi Jinping signed a
slew of projects, partnership agreements with Nepal. Our spreading of the red
carpet to Xi gave the excuse to Nepal to embrace the dragon closer.
The Chinese action on the border was
predictable. It has violated Indian territories many times before. What was
Indian preparedness against it? Did Modi believe like Nehru that China will not
invade India’s borders? That is hopefully not the case. Modi is a hard-nosed
realist. He could not be so naïve although straying occasionally on the advice
of bureaucrats, who cannot think out of box; like he did in addressing the
SAARC and NAM meetings, or courting China.
Here we are now! The response to Chinese
transgression has to be multifold. First is the military, come hell or
high-water, New Delhi should send the tough message to China that we can
protect our territory. We will defend our territorial integrity at any cost.
That will call the Chinese bluff. War is not an option for Chinese too. They
have a lot at stake at the moment. China has invested heavily in India.
The next is political. New Delhi should brief
its defence partners like USA, Israel, France, Britain and Russia on the
China’s aggression. USA has already started firing from all its cylinders on
China, it has barred Chinese companies from trading in the US stock markets,
warned China of sanctions if the security law on Hong Kong is brought upon, it
has moved a resolution to recognise Tibet as an independent country.
From reports from reliable sources, it has
stationed 7 out of 20 aircraft carriers at sea -- these are Ronald Regan,
Gerald R. Ford, Abraham Lincoln, NIMITZ, Harry S. Truman, Theodore Roosevelt,
and Dwight D. Eisenhower. New Delhi has had a deep defence link with USA in
anticipation of such acts of aggression by China. India should sign a defence
treaty with America like it did with Soviet Union in 1971, and push China back
to where it belongs, beyond our border. In the interim, India should get the US
to announce its active support to India in the event of a war. India has the
non-NATO ally status with USA. It is time to put more teeth into it. It is also morally imperative on the West to
do so as they built up this monster for economic expediency and trade
opportunism.
At the same time, the economic response
should consist of stringent barriers on Chinese investment and goods to India.
This should be backed by Indians boycotting Chinese products. The diplomatic
response would mean keep talking to Chinese. If they refuse to do so, cut off
diplomatic contact with China, recall our Ambassador from Beijing.
Aware that the above approach is risky and
costly, we have no other choice. China has betrayed our goodwill time and
again, is highly perfidious. It understands only the language of competition
and confrontation. We need not waste our time and energy fighting Pakistan, a
vassal ally of China and our traditional friend being lured away by Chinese
money. We take on the mother of most of our problems and those of the world
now. The dragon has to be tamed and caged. This is the priority for all those
believing in freedom, solidarity and a rule-based international order. Let the Great Wall of Democracy fence the
dragon in its den. – INFA
(Copyright,
India News & Feature Alliance)
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