Thursday, September 7, 2017

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Indo-China relations shows signs of improving' that was published in Newsband

Indo-China relations shows signs of improving
India and China put up a united front at the BRICS summit, and proposed a revival of the Panchsheel principles of peaceful cooperation. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping showed excellent coordination. The long Doklam military stand-off was resolved just a week ago. India and China are looking for new mechanisms to strengthen the border defence agreements. China’s nod to the inclusion of the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed among the terrorist groups threatening regional stability is appreciated.
China had had its revolution and India its independence just about the same time, late 1940s, but China has outpaced India. It is time for India to re-calibrate its relationship with China and deepen its economic dealings with her to accelerate her won development and banish unsavory poverty. While China, based on her Confucian philosophy, bides its own time, India must seize on the BRICS-restored atmosphere of India-China Bhai Bhai and build on it. It would require some fundamental re-evaluation of our foreign policy priorities.
Both countries have their strategic goal and both will try to achieve it. There might be more tense moments between India and China in the future. If mutual trust between two can avoid any flare up, similar to that of Doklam, where a single bullet fired could have escalated to full war, it will be a great achievement.
India and China, the disputed neighbours for long time, must find out a solution to resolve their concerns. Proper dialogue should be initiated after Doklam Standoff. China should heed India's concern of threat imposed by terrorism generated on Pakistan soil. Both the countries are the leaders of East Asia region. China along with India have moral responsibility to maintain the peace in region and weigh down their might on terrorism which is not just a regional threat but a global threat.
Cordial relationship with our neighbors is sine qua non for our country's stability, progress and prosperity. So, any patriot would love to achieve and maintain friendly relations with the neighboring nations. We hope our PM succeeds in this mission.
However, it was a commendable job on Indo China relationship. We must keep the momentum going in a positive manner. As far as Pakistan is concerned, so far it’s only words and very little action. Whether it’s multilateral or bilateral we had enough of it. Indian government must flex its diplomatic muscles to impose sanctions on the rogue state. Lastly, BRICS should not be another SAARC. It has to do much more on the grounds to live up to the huge expectations of the developing world and deliver tangible outcomes.

India should use this opportunity to clear other border disputes with China. For example the dispute in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim so as to focus on extra export of goods. The reference to Pakistan-based terror groups and the absence of the controversial BRI project in the joint statement are definitely significant diplomatic achievements by us. China realized that it was alone in ploughing the Pakistani terrorism furrow and the BRICS meet need not end as a failure because of that. It has learnt that its power play had limitations vis-a-vis India. Both Doklam and the BRI meet in Beijing in May which India boycotted, taught the lessons to China. China is also hanging by a thin thread in the Masood Azhar case in the UNSC as well as India's admission to NSG. India's resolute stand backed by the rest of the nations, one hopes, would significantly shape the Chinese behaviour for the better. The optimism expressed for India-China relationship depends on China's actions in the months ahead. But, India can never afford to lower vigil because it is a well known fact that the Chinese yearn for hegemonic power with everyone else as its tributaries.

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