The Chinese checkers!

On the 5th August 2019, India changed the constitutional status of Jammu & Kashmir, making them Union Territories, while creating a separate Ladakh region administered by a Lt. Governor alone, by revoking the special status granted to them under Article 370.

China all along viewed India with growing concern, despite its winning the 1962 war, which India conceded due to strategy lapses. Militarily, India had strengthened well, is a nuclear power and have won all the wars decisively after the Indo-China war between India and Pakistan in 1965, 1971 and 1999.

China has been wooing India’s neighbouring countries, which is being thwarted and neutralised by Indian diplomacy. The latest  Nepal actions, of passing a bill to include itself areas purportedly belonging to India are but a Chinese provoked proxy war, similar to what it did with the help of Abdulla Yameen, a pro-China Maldives President, who was ousted later. Nepal’s juvenile and sledgehammer action will fade out soon, and it’s Prime Minister Oli moving out.

India’s US tilt is more pronounced now than ever during the last six years of Modi’s regime. India and US have several military alliances struck between them. India also has stitched up military relations with Vietnam, Australia and Japan, while furthering its closeness with Israel. It has kept Russia also in good humour buying their lethal S-400 surface-to-air missile delivery system, pooh-poohing the threat of US sanctions.

China has been licking its wound inflicted by Trump regime over trade disputes and now finds internationally an outcast over its non-disclosure of crucial Covid related data. Its macho image seemed dented badly than ever before.  China has also been after recapturing Taiwan, the latter rejecting the offers with disdain. It has territorial disputes with India, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.

The standoff at Doklam was a test case to judge India’s tenacity, and the Indian army did not budge an inch, with the Chinese forced to back off. While India was busy fighting Covid and was in a total lockdown, the Chinese surreptitiously advanced into Ladakh and faced the Indian army. Modi and President Xi, during their Mahabalipuram tête-à- tête agreed to respect the LAC, which was given a go by the Chinese.

China is facing a severe challenge within as well in Hong Kong, where protests have been on for the last eight months. Boris Johnson, the UK PM, has offered citizenship to the 3 million residents of Hong Kong if they face any persecution by China. The other major challenge for China is the US Congress tabling a bill for the Independence of Tibet, which China has forcibly occupied.

India is now the Board’s Chair of WHO and is returning to the UNSC as a non-permanent member. India is one of the signatories to initiate an investigation into the origin of the Coronavirus, which China is not comfortable to face. These have riled China.

To blunt India’s rise as a parallel power is pertinent to China’s ambitious re-emergence as the dominant and undisputed world power. Therefore, China does not want to withdraw its position from the Galwan Valley that overlooks a new Indian highway built to supply New Delhi’s most forward military base at Daulat Beg Oldi, or the Pangong Lake vicinity. By hitting out at India, China’s OBOR dream rolls on, its investments in South East Asia, Africa and East Europe secure and its hegemony wider than ever.

US and NATO must move their focus from Russia to China and India must not lose its vigil on the crafty manifestation of its eastern neighbour. 

It’s time to strengthen our industry too, to respond to lesser dependence on Chinese merchandise to hit them in every way. Nepal’s brazen attempts will fizzle out soon!

Despite the fury and the fire, it is inconvenient time for the Chinese to venture into any misadventure right now, but it seems they are in a hurry to redeem their prestige and power.

Jai Hind.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix