Posted by
Ashoka Chakra on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:00:00 AM
The astute reader must have noticed that, of late, fairly acrimonious and heated exchanges have been going on between India and China. China started the ball rolling by provocative patrolling on the border, harsh commentaries in its controlled newspapers, voting against India in multilateral forums (Asian Development Bank, etc). The question arises, why, and why now?
I think it is because China is scared of India. India is the only country other than the US that can challenge it in the long run. In the short run, China can bully India (or try to) whereas it cannot do that with the US. By bullying India, it hopes to cement borders favorable to it, as well as get India to stop the Tibetans from establishing a base from which it can launch attacks for freedom from the Chicoms. This of course in its attempts at global hegemony.
In the past, China could rely on Pakistan to keep India pre-occupied. But much to its horror, Pakistan is on the verge of self-destruction, and its nukes could well find their way to the Uighers in China. Losing that leverage seems to have unsettled the Chinese. India should exploit this enhanced state of anxiety in Beijing. Maybe the Indian navy should visit the China sea. Along with some US ships