Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Jinping’s visit marred by incursions' that was published in Newsband

Jinping’s visit marred by incursions

President of China Xi Jinping visited India. Just before his visit there was an incident on the Line of Actual control in the Chumar region of Ladakh, where troops and civilians were in a stand-off over construction activity on the Indian side.

Chinese side say that the two leaders had committed themselves to resolving the border issue “as soon as possible”, and that they had reached a “consensus” on the way forward. In a joint statement, the two sides acknowledged that “peace and tranquility on the India-China border areas was an important guarantor for the development and continued growth of bilateral relations.”

The overall positive atmospherics of the visit despite the overhang of the Ladakh stand-off also carry an important message to the world, ahead of Modi’s visit later this month to the United States.

Such incidents, though more common after Xi Jinping took control, have been especially taking place at or before visits by top leaders. It happened at the time of A. K. Antony's visit to China in 2012, before Li Keqiang's equally well touted visit to India and now during the visit of their President. No country would like an uncomfortable situation when its President or PM is having a meeting with his/her counterpart and yet the Chinese have repeatedly done so. Jinping’s visit has been marred by these incursions and the Chinese do not care.

India still does not have any concrete plan to address the border intrusion issue. It is not the easy task for India. But the diplomacy is the only way to address this issue. On the economic and cooperation front, the China is willing to address the issue of trade imbalance.

The NDA government had not done something new of great magnitude in improving the ties between the two countries. Once BJP had criticized the UPA government for their inability to deal with Chinese incursion in Indian territory. Now, the NDA government also demonstrated its inability to deal with Chinese incursion. They must have learnt that it is not easy to deal with complex strategic, economic and trade issues. We have to negotiate this difficult task ahead with diplomacy and pragmatism. We also need to learn that in international relations powers plays an important role.

Chinese President Xi wanted to visit Gujarat because that was one of the first states which invited Chinese investment to set up business there. Gujarat's pragmatic economic policies under Modi led that state to become the highest exporting state in India. It is natural for Chinese president to start from a place that can showcase the potential benefits of India-China cooperation. If other states want Chinese or other foreign investment all they have to do follow Modi's lead. Nevertheless even Maharastra got an investment deal for Chinese built industrial park along with Gujarat this time.

Noting Chinese cultural differences may help improve understanding and build trust. They are a sophisticated, modern people but Confucian beliefs remain deeply embedded in Chinese psyche that society should be harmonious, rational and hierarchical, where everyone follows the rules in accordance with their political and social status. Chinese teamwork demands a strong leader and a hierarchical organisation with clear boundaries.

Unless the border dispute is resolved, the MOUs and agreements signed between the two countries mean nothing. China will follow a stick and carrot policy for its own vested interests. It wants India to forget the border issue in exchange of getting investments from it.