Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Settle border dispute with China first and foremost' that was published in Newsband

Settle border dispute with China first and foremost

The three-day visit to China by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quite useful. Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sought to address some of the concerns over the nature of the economic relationship. The signing of 26 agreements detailing commercial investments worth $22 billion between companies signifies the growing economic ties.

But the strategic distance remains. The boundary dispute did find mention in the joint statement. There was the assurance that both sides would seek to maintain peace at the border as they worked towards a solution. Modi emphasized that India seeks to build concomitant ties with other world powers.

Nations requires respect to each other territorial sovereignty. How can a nation take a solace of economic relationship when its land is usurped by China for decades? Among all the issues pertaining to the Indo-Chinese relationship, the border dispute issue is the most important of all. Why can’t we make similar agreement as the India-Bangladesh Border segregation with China as well? Once and for all, the dispute will be done over with and people living in the vulnerable zone would be emancipated from all worries.

While the negotiated agreements have been entered into for trade between India and China, the PM did not discuss anything about dumping of Chinese made cheap quality and health hazardous goods in India. Across India, such goods are marketed at every traffic junction and in shops. The Government loses taxes and these goods cause serious health problem to children. Indian government must impose anti-dumping duty of all such goods or ban such products in India. Modi should have registered strong protest against China’s supply of nuclear and missile technology to terror states like Pakistan.

The relationship that China wants with India is one that an imperial power wants with a vassal state. The message was unmistakably conveyed by the aggressive incursion by the red army during the Chinese president's visit to India. China's claim into AP is also an aggressive attempt at expansion into an area where China has never had an historical presence.

For a healthy, stable and prosperous relationship with China, India will have to build up its nuclear and conventional forces to deter an adventure by a resurgent China. That will pave the way for mutually beneficial economic ties.

There is no doubt that India and China have gained more confidence in dealing with each other in the last two decades in spite of hiccups now and then. However, India is not convinced at all of the long term objectives of China. Indeed, all Asian nations, except Pakistan, are fearful of the 'peaceful rise' of China especially after the assumption of power by Xi Jinping who has amassed all powers to himself. His idea of a 'Chinese Dream', among other things, is to reverse Deng Xiaoping's 'taoguang yanghui' or 'hide your strength and bide for time' because he either seems to feel that the time has come for China or it is better to divert the Chinese attention elsewhere so as to mitigate the economic slowdown within or he feels that the 'window of opportunity' will slip away otherwise or a combination of all these. The 'One Belt One Road' and MSR initiatives are surreptitious ways to establish hegemony through apparently benign means. India must be aware of the duplicitous policy.

Modi has signalled that India does not consider China as a permanent adversary or a rival while at the same time conveying the message that China has to be more sensitive to India's concerns. China must realize that the border dispute can no longer be used as a bargaining chip to needle India as and when it likes. The rise of a world power cannot always be on its own terms. The world is too big and diverse to settle for a unipolar global regime.