Chinese Foreign Minister takes a conciliatory stance over border conflict

Beijing: China is ready to work with India for the definite and sound development of bilateral relations. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said that a direct dialogue process between the two countries has been ongoing at the diplomatic and military levels. He further said both countries had been committed to establishing stability in the border region. Wang Yi has tried to convey that China, which has always taken an aggressive stance on border disputes, has been eager to resolve this dispute amicably this time. In the face of India’s forceful and aggressive response to the intrusion in Tawang, it was clear that China had adopted a submissive policy for some time.

This is the first time since the December 9 encounter between the Indian and Chinese armies in the Tawang sector that the Chinese Foreign Minister has reacted in such detail. Direct talks between India and China have been going on at the diplomatic and military levels. Moreover, both countries have been committed to maintaining stability along the border. Also, China expects a definite and healthy increase in bilateral cooperation with India. Saying that China was eager to cooperate with India, Wang Yi indirectly advised India to ignore the conflict in Tawang. Even before this, after the clash in Galwan Valley in 2020, Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India and introduced a similar role.

Wang Yi had said at that time that India and China could maintain bilateral cooperation even while the border disputes persist. China’s Foreign Minister had made the same claims even after the Chinese infiltration attempt in the Tawang sector. China wants to intrude into India’s territory without sacrificing the benefits of bilateral trade with India. Besides, China has taken deliberate steps for this. However, India has begun to view Chinese moves more seriously after losing 20 of its soldiers in the Galwan conflict. Former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had recently said that the Galwan clash has cleared the minds of India’s policymakers as to whether India is China’s competitor, friend or adversary. The effects of this clarity on the strategic level have begun to be seen in China’s Line of Actual Control (LAC).

India accelerated the massive infrastructure development for its troop movements along the LAC. Simultaneously, there has been a big increase in the army and air force deployment on the LAC, and sophisticated weapons have also been deployed in this area. This preparation of India becomes scary for China. Along with this, former Indian military officers have warned the government that there was no option but to respond by firing against Chinese intrusions. This conciliatory stance adopted by the Chinese Foreign Minister was expected in such a situation.

Meanwhile, a new Corona outbreak has been raging in China now, and in the current situation, China may need India’s assistance for many things. Consequently, there was a strong possibility that China needed to improve relations with India. However, analysts warn that if given the opportunity, China will not abstain from infiltrating the LAC and carrying out other anti-India activities. Therefore, under any circumstances, these analysts say that India should continue to increase its defence capability without trusting China and should in no way reduce the pressure on China.

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