This time, Dragon chose a new conflict theatre near the world famous Tawang monastery in Arunachal on December 9. It is quite known that the 300-strong Chinese force could not have been deployed without Chinese Prez Xi Jinping’s ‘specific instructions’, writes Gopal Misra
After getting a new five–year term as the president, Xi Jinping, has embarked upon his mission to establish China as a superpower. For this, he is ready to subdue India, which he believes, though mistakenly, an impediment to his aspiration in establishing his country’s hegemony in the region as well as globally.
With a hope that the two countries would be cooperating with each other forgetting the June 2020 Galwan clashes, Indian PM Narendra Modi exchanged pleasantries with Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit held at Bali in November this year. Earlier, they did not have any communication at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit held in Uzbekistan in mid-September.
Xi Jinping had reciprocated to Modi with his ‘mysterious smile’, but India did not lower her vigil. She was not surprised, when Dragon chose a new conflict theatre near the world famous Tawang monastery in Arunachal on December 9. It is quite known that the 300-strong Chinese force could not have been deployed without his ‘specific instructions’.
The other issues being discussed in New Delhi is why did the Chinese supremo trigger a new conflict on India-Tibet border during his visit to Saudi Arabia? Did he want to message the oil-rich region that the USA and its ‘new ally’ India was no match to its military power? The world, however, is closely watching the tight-rope diplomacy of China buying oil from Saudi Arab and Iran simultaneously.
It appears that by investing in the Middle-East, China is dreaming of an Islamic Arc, a strategic asset for its geo-political ambitions. It continues to invest in Pakistan to use as a proxy against India, but recent support in Pakistan for a peaceful co-existence with India, might upset its plans. The thaw in the relations of the estranged neighbours is being promoted on various mainline and social media channels. The notable supporters of India-Pakistan co-operation are two distngushed figures from Pakistan, Professor Ishtiaq Ahmad, a Sweden-based political scientist, and Sajid Tarar, a pro-Trump Republican Party leader. These developments must have upset Xi Jinping’s strategy to use Pakistan and other Muslim countries to be used against India.
Interestingly, India has reportedly communicated to China that its third war, the “Reconquest” of Arunachal Pradesh or Southern Tibet, scheduled in 2035-2040, published in the Chinese newspaper, Wenweipo, on July 8, 2013, would be getting a befitting resistance from India. India has been closely watching the ongoing developments on her borders with Tibet. It has also been noted that since China has been getting stiff resistance from Taiwan and being supported by the western powers. It might reschedule its wars. Instead of annexing Taiwan called the 1st War: scheduled in 2020-2025, it might impose war on India, though scheduled as the third war China.
The situation continues to be tense on the border; the stand off appears to have been diffused by the local commanders for the time being. It is now for Xi Jinping to explain his role in the proposed strategic alliance among the three powers, Russia, India and China.
Meanwhile, India, continues to be vigilant and is aware of the Chinese war game, Wei-Hai (“encirclement”). It is believed to be a copy of the ‘Chaupad’ played against the Pandavas by Shakuni, the cunning maternal uncle of the Kaurvas. It is also being traced to the Chinese strategist, Sun Tzu, which is based on cheating and overwhelming, the opponent. However, it is for China to decide whether it wants to behave like a big power or continues to indulge in its past practice of cheating and manipulating like an upstart in the geo-politics.