Tackle China with firmness
By Gurmeet Kanwal

The real issue that needs to be debated is not whether India’s policy towards China is weak or strong; the issue is whether the policy promotes India’s national interests. China is rapidly emerging as a hegemon in Asia. It has grown out of Deng Xiaoping’s exhortation to its leadership to “hide our capacities and bide our time”. It has also given up all pretensions of a “peaceful rise” and is now an unabashed regional bully that loses no opportunity to flex its growing military muscles.

Relations between India and China have been fairly stable at the strategic level. Economic relations are much better now than they were in the past —bilateral trade has crossed $60 billion even though the balance of trade is skewed in China’s favour. The two countries have been cooperating in international fora like WTO talks and climate change negotiations. There has been limited cooperation in energy security. However, at the tactical level, China has been exhibiting a markedly aggressive political, diplomatic and military attitude. China is clearly engaged in a carefully thought-through and meticulously orchestrated policy aimed at the strategic encirclement of India.

China’s objections to India’s oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea are only the latest manifestation of China’s diplomatic aggressiveness. The government-controlled Chinese me-dia’s comments after the incident were bombastic. The Global Times, a mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, thundered: “China may consider taking actions to show its stance and prevent more reckless attempts in confronting China.” Earlier the paper had warned that prospecting for oil in China-claimed waters would “push China to the limits”.

The relatively more moderate People’s Daily also did not mince words: “China must take practical and firm actions to make these projects fall through. China should denounce this agreement as illegal. Once India and Vietnam initiate their exploration, China can send non-military forces to disturb their work, and cause dispute or friction to halt the two countries’ exploration.”

The China Energy News said, “India is playing with fire by agreeing to explore for oil with Vietnam in the disputed South China Sea… its energy strategy is slipping into an extremely dangerous whirlpool.”

Recently, China asked India to cancel the international Buddhist conference in Delhi, or to at least stop government functionaries from attending and to prevent the Dalai Lama from participating in it. Such assertiveness needs to be countered with firmness.

While the probability of conflict over the unresolved territorial dispute is low, strategic competition between India and China is inevitable. India must develop its comprehensive national power, including military power, to neutralise China’s quest for dominance in Asia.

India must also, simultaneously, develop leverages that can be exploited to keep China at bay. For example, India should sell or gift ballistic and cruise missiles to Vietnam and forge strong strategic partnerships with democracies in China’s neighbourhood in order to promote its long-term national interests.

The author is director, Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi

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We are tough, and it shows
By Rup Narayan Das

The recent statement of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that India should show more spine to deal with China has raised the debate as to whether India’s policy towards China has been weak or strong. His assertion has resonance in the backdrop of similar concerns expressed recently by members of Parliament cutting across party lines on the floor of the House.

Is India weak in dealing with China?
The answer is resounding “No”. With all the rhetoric of civilisational links, cultural intercourse and the oft-quoted assertion that there is enough space for both to compete and cooperate and China’s claim of its “peaceful rise”, the only way to deal with China is from a position of strength, and not from a position of weakness or vulnerability.

To understand Chinese psyche one should not forget Mao’s dictum that “power flows from the barrel of the gun, but it is the party that commands the gun.” This signifies two things: one is China’s military might and the second is the overarching role of the Chinese Com-munist Party.

If power moves China, it listens to power only. Yet another maxim of Deng Xiaoping — “Hide your strength and bid your time” — also helps in understanding China’s behaviour and its claim to its “peaceful rise”. Dealing with China thus requires a degree of circumspection. Mere bravado will not help.

India has raised the issue of China’s involvement in the disputed Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on every occasion and at various levels. The fact that the Chinese embassy in New Delhi issued normal visas to journalists from Jammu and Kashmir, who accompanied Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Sanya in China, where the Brics Summit took place in last April, is suggestive of China’s understanding of India’s sensitivities. The assertion by the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, that the so-called “stapled visa” issue is being handled by the diplomats at appropriate level again indicates that China is alert to India’s concerns.
India did not buckle under pressure on the issue of ONGC Videsh’s foray into the South China Sea in spite of China’s warning and this too speaks of India’s assertiveness.

Again, that India allowed the recent world Buddhist conclave in New Delhi, not withstanding China’s opposition and that the conclave was graced by Indian dignitaries at the appropriate level, also indicates India’s measured and calibrated response to the whole issue.

India neither yielded to the arm-twisting by Beijing nor did it ruffle China’s feathers. Earlier, India’s representative also attended the function organised by the Norwegian Academy to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, much to the chagrin of the Chinese authorities. Only recently, South Africa denied a visa to the Dalai Lama to visit South Africa to participate in the 80th birth anniversary of South African activist Desmond Tutu. If India’s stance and position in this regard is compared with these countries, India’s position is robust by any reckoning.

The writer is a senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi