New Delhi, April 25, 2013-Chinese military general Sun Tzu wrote in his treatise The Art of War “know yourself and know your enemy”. The insight holds true for India, which has yet again been deceived by China on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Days after offering the hand of friendship to India and confirming the visit of Chinese Premier Li Kiqiang to New Delhi on May 20, Chinese troops have ventured 10 km into the Indian territory, erasing any hope of a forward movement in bilateral ties.
China has resorted to denial tactics yet again. India sent out a demarche to Beijing on Friday last. Foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai told Chinese ambassador Wei Wei that the “situation (on the LAC) is abnormal and status quo has to be restored”. Five days have passed and the Chinese envoy is yet to get back to New Delhi with an official response on the demarche.
Ironically, the Chinese incursion took place on April 15, when the head of China division in the foreign ministry, Gautam Bambawale, was scheduled to be in Beijing for a meeting on the working mechanism on border dispute with the director general of boundary and ocean affairs, Deng Zhonghua.
The meeting was never held.
Chinese foreign minister Yang Jeichi has taken over as the new boundary negotiator and the next round of talks is scheduled to be held in India. The present face-off has put a question mark on this meet.
The incursion has sown the seeds of mistrust, which the new Chinese leadership, led by Xi Jingping, should not ignore, as it would have a lasting impact on India’s relationship with China.
India must work on multiple levers to checkmate Beijing. It must continue to expand its relationship with Japan. Besides the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Japan and the visit of the Japanese Emperor to India, India should also invite Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe. It should also look at expanding ties with Taiwan.
If China continues with its hostile conduct, India should cancel the visit of the Chinese Premier and demonstrate that it will not buckle down under pressure.
