The recent Chinese statement taking strong exception to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh on October 3 for electioneering was full of bluster and threats. Photo Credit: PIBOctober 14, 2009, (Sawf News) - The recent Chinese statement taking strong exception to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh on October 3 for electioneering was full of bluster and threats.
Here are some excerpts from the Chinese foreign ministry statement:
"[China] is strongly dissatisfied with the visit to the disputed region by the Indian leader disregarding China's serious concerns."
"We demand the Indian side address China's serious and just concerns and not trigger disturbances in the disputed region so as to facilitate the healthy development of China-India relations."
The statement did not name the Indian Prime Minister but identified him unambiguously. It used undiplomatic language becoming of a high school bully using words such as "demand" and "not trigger disturbances."
Later the Chinese foreign ministry tweaked its statement substituting "not stir up trouble" for the more bizarre "not trigger disturbances."
The Indian response showed more diplomatic finesse than the Chinese statement, but was categorical.
"We express our disappointment and concern over the statement made by the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs since this does not help the process of ongoing negotiations on the boundary question," external affairs ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said.
"Arunachal Pradesh is inalienable part of India, and China is aware of this.
"The Chinese statement does not help the process of ongoing negotiations between the two governments on the boundary question," he added.
Interestingly, the Indian statement borrowed phrases that the Chinese love to use, with questionable sincerity of course.
For example:
India was "committed to resolving outstanding differences with China in a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable manner, while ensuring that such differences are not allowed to affect the positive development of bilateral relations".
The Chinese love to say "mutually acceptable" in a tone that suggests that what they consider "mutually acceptable" is what they desire. They don't believe give and take has anything to do with finding a "mutually acceptable" solution.
So what is going on?
The Chinese appear desperate to scuttle His Holiness the Dalai Lama's planned visit to Arunachal Pradesh in November and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's second visit to the state this year must have made them realize that may not happen.
The churlish stridency in the Chinese protest probably stems from the shock of India's uncharacteristic defiance of Chinese pressures.
India's response to Chinese provocations has so far been well calibrated and accommodating.
So while deferring to Chinese maniacal sensibilities on Tibet, by not visiting Tawang, Manmohan has implicitly asked China to show the same kind of sensitivity to Indian concerns.
The trouble is the Chinese don't follow a carrot and stick policy. They prefer a no stick and stick approach, unless the adversary refuses to blink. Clearly, tensions are going to rise before they subside, which is not to suggest they will subside quickly, or subside at all.
One way the tensions will subside quickly is if India blinks and calls off the Dalai Lama's visit.
My gut feeling is that India will blink. Whether it gets something from the Chinese in return is the only moot point.
I doubt His Holiness will visit Tawang, though I would be delighted to be proven wrong on this one.
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