Ajit Doval in Beijing: Why India, China have failed to resolve Doklam standoff : India, News
Highlights
1
Doklam is a disputed area between China and Bhutan.
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China unilaterally tried to alter border by means of road construction.
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On Bhutanese request, Indian Army stopped road construction by Chinese PLA.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is in China while the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army are holding their posts 150 metres apart at Doklam in Bhutan.
Ajit Doval is expected to hold talks with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on the ongoing Sikkim standoff on the sidelines of the meeting of BRICS top security officials in Beijing. Doval's visit has raised hopes that the two countries may find ways to defuse Doklam tension.
The stakes are high at Doklam for both the countries. Neither can afford to appear succumbing to the pressure built by the other. China's domestic politics has left President Xi Jinping with little option but to prolong the standoff at Doklam.
DOMESTIC COMPULSIONS OF CHINA
The Communist Party of China (CPC) will be holding its 19th Congress later this year. An overhaul of the party structure is expected during the Congress. Xi Jinping has been pushing for greater control over the party, which is more powerful than the government in China.
The CPC directly controls the PLA through Central Military Commission (CMC). The CPC general secretary is the chairman of the CMC. The PLA will be celebrating its 90th foundation day on August 1. The foundation day celebration was supposed to be a show-off event, but under pressure from Doklam standoff.
According to Chinese state media, people are asking why Xi Jinping administration is not taking action against India if it really invaded territory of China.
Given the public perception of the Doklam standoff in China, Xi Jinping administration cannot afford to look weak by pulling back PLA troops.
POP GOES THE WEASEL
CHINESE INTERNAL POLITICS
Making a surprise change in the party leadership ahead of CPC Congress, Xi Jinping removed Sun Zhengcai from his post both in Chongqing - one of the four directly controlled municipalities in China - and the politburo of the CPC.
Many observers believed that Sun Zhengcai was a potential successor of Xi Jinping. Zhengcai was one the youngest members of the politburo of the Communist Party of China and very close to former premier Wen Jiabao. Zhengcai was an obstacle in the way of Xi Jinping, who wants greater control over the party.
With this objective, Xi Jinping has asked the partymen to address him as the chairman. It started with a military parade in September 2015 in Beijing, when he was called 'shouzhang'. Jinping tried to establish his status as the 'core' of the CPC.
No leader since Mao Zedong has been addressed as the chairman. Towering leaders like Deng Xiaoping, who oversaw Hong Kong handover negotiations, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao used the title of shouzhang when they inspected troops.
Now, Jinping wants his partymen to address him as 'zhuxi', the chairman when he inspects troops on the PLA foundation day. With this, Jinping wants to convey the message to his countrymen that he is the most powerful leader in China after Mao.
With such an ambition, Jinping cannot order unilateral withdrawal of troops from Doklam. This is also why China has been harping on the 1962 war, which was fought when Mao was at the helm of affairs in China.
INDIA CANNOT AFFORD TO BACK OFF
There is much for India as the regional leader in the Doklam standoff. If India orders withdrawal of troops from Doklam buckling under Chinese pressure, this will diminish New Delhi's stature in the whole of South Asia.
The smaller neighbours of India will never rely on New Delhi for support while dominance of China will be paramount. In the immediate effect, Bhutan will pass on to Chinese hands and in all likelihood, become second Tibet in decades to come.
India's security concerns would be highly compromised if China had its say in Doklam. The Chicken's Neck of India will be under the direct watch of the PLA. This will also result in the decisive shift by Nepal towards China.
Sri Lanka has only yesterday refused to allow a military base of China at Hambantota port limiting Beijing's role to commercial activities only. If India does not stand at Doklam in defence of Bhutan, it will have its bearing on Sri Lanka and other neighbouring countries as well.
LACK OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT CHINA
Many observers believe that one of the reasons for continued standoff at Doklam is the lack of understanding between the two countries. It is said that despite being neighbours, there are not enough number of experts in India and China who understand the other countries very well.:blah::blah:
Language is a major barrier for lack of understanding between the two countries. Writing in the Global Times, one Chinese columnist Long Xingchun - research fellow at the Charhar Charhar Institute and director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University - said, "There are no more than 200 China experts in India, of which 10 per cent, at the most, can read or speak Chinese. Most of these experts study China based on publications from the US and Europe and a few English publications published by China, but sadly they believe that they have been well informed about China.":blah::blah:
The same is equally true about the Chinese analysts who are said to have expertise over Indian affairs. They are not familiar with Indian languages and have limited access to English publications on India.
:blah::blah:
NEUTRAL STAND BY WORLD LEADERS
The world leaders have largely been neutral to over-a-month-long standoff between the armies of India and China at a plateau in Bhutan. Only the United States has appealed to India and China for a peaceful resolution of the standoff.
Speculations are being made about how the leading global powers, including Russia and Japan, would react should the two armies clash over Doklam. Chinese, as tactics, have tried to remind India that Russia was a mute spectator in 1962.
On the other hand, several strategic observers have pointed out that the US and Japan, which have interest in the South China Sea, would not be spectators in the event of an India-China war. They fear that if China is allowed to have its say against India and Bhutan, it will become more belligerent in the South China Sea.
INDIA-CHINA TRADE
Till the initial years of 1980s, the economies of India and China were roughly equal in size. But, China made gigantic progress in the later years. Now, the Chinese economy is five times bigger than India's.
As per the latest data released in January this year, the India-China trade volume stands at USD 71 billion.
China is the net beneficiary by far in bilateral trade. India's trade deficit with China stands at USD 46.56 billion.
India exports articles of just USD 11.76 billion while its import from China stands at USD 58.33 billion
. China's economy is largely export-based. It cannot afford to lose one of the biggest markets over Doklam. But, its domestic compulsions do not allow it to back off from Doklam especially after it led a propaganda accusing India of 'invading Chinese territory'.
The bone of contention - Dolam area of Doklam plateau - is a disputed territory between Bhutan and China. Bhutan sought India's help in June after China tried to alter the existing borders by carrying out road construction in the disputed area. The troops from the two sides have been in an eyeball-to-eyeball encounter ever since.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/doklam-india-china-ajit-doval/1/1012616.html
Doval is known in the circles as a man who never lies.
china better listen to this man...very very clearly.
Love the way US media is putting out Pro India stories at the same time..
Amazing!!