If Taiwan is Achilles heel of mainland China, J & K and Arunachal are sensitive issues for Bharat. Amidst atmosphere of suspicion, ancient civilisational connects may provide certain insights
China protested against the visit of three-member Taiwanese delegation to Bharat from February 12. China lodged a diplomatic protest as foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters in Beijing almost in a threatening way, “To understand and respect China’s core concerns and stick to the ‘One-China’ principle and prudently deal with Taiwan-related issues and maintain sound and steady development of Indo-China relations.” Bharat rightly responded by saying that “Such informal groups have visited Bharat in the past as well for business, religious and tourism purposes… There is nothing new or unusual about such visits and political meanings should not be read into them.”
The fact is, Taiwan is represented in New Delhi by a “Taipei Economic and Cultural Center” and India has an “India-Taipei Association” in Taiwan and regular exchanges are taking place between the two institutions for more than six years. Then why was China so vocal over the recent visit? Is Taiwan so central to bilateral relations? Why China has been insensitive to Bharat’s strategic concerns that are more directly related to national sovereignty?
Internally, China has been sensitive to Taiwan issue after President Tsai Ing-wen won the elections last year as she is a strong supporter of Taiwan’s independence from China. There are growing democratic voices in Hong Kong. The hollowness created within the Chinese society by crushing of Confucian Culture could not be replaced by Communism; Chinese Government is trying to replace it by reactionary nationalism. Chinese version of ‘One China Policy’ is
central to it.
For Bharat, not Taiwan but Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir along with Pakistan sponsored terrorism are
central issues. The Stapled Visa issue, Chinese policy of issuing distinctive visas to Indian citizens domiciled in Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, is a direct
challenge to sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bharat. In the name of economic development when China builds road and other infrastructure in Pakistan occupied Jammu & Kashmir, it is a direct challenge to the ‘One Bharat Policy’. When the internationally identified terrorist and the
mastermind of ghastly terrorist attacks on the Parliament of Bharat and the economic capital of the country, Mumbai, Azhar Masood is shielded by China at the United Nations on frivolous technical grounds, which amounts to direct support to anti-Bharat terror activities. Bharat is neither involved in any infrastructural development in any of the disputed territory of China nor shielding any anti-China terror activity perpetuated by any individual or organisation.
As a matter of fact, Bharat has been reiterating that “both countries would have to be sensitive to each other’s strategic interests”, as conveyed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on sidelines of G-20 Summit. External Affairs Minister Smt Sushma Swaraj was more direct when she said in September 2014, “When they raised the issue of Tibet and Taiwan with us, we shared their sensitivities. They should understand and appreciate our sensitivities regarding Arunachal Pradesh.”
For Bharat, ‘21st century belongs to Asia’ and ‘Bharat and China are growth engines of the world’, are not mere clichés but ground realities. Over the years, both the countries have maintained peace and tranquillity on the border despite unsettled boundary claims. China’s revisionist tendencies and ambition to be the ‘Global Police’ are the real concerns for all the Chinese neighbours. When there is a global consensus on fight against the growing menace of terrorism, Chinese nexus with blatantly terror promoting State like Pakistan, only the leadership of China can justify. The first India and China Strategic Dialogue, scheduled for February 22 in Beijing, is likely to discuss key issues of mutual “concern and interest” including “friction points” such as Masood Azhar and NSG. Though it is a good
beginning, there is a need to go beyond the Anglo-American parameters of realist politics. Perhaps, travelogues of Chinese scholars and traders, who visited Bharat before the Islamic invasion on Nalanda and Taxila, can provide some insights about the uninterrupted civilisational links between the two ancient Asian giants. For that, China will have to accept and realise its Confucius roots and understand and appreciate Hindu civilisational basis of Bharat. That will present us a way forward to clear this atmosphere
of suspicion.
@PrafullaKetkar
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