Why are India & China fighting over a colonial created artificial border line?
China has a history of over 3500 years. India’s history dates back to the Indus Valley civilization. India was given its name by the British in 1947. Asia’s population is 4.5billion of which 2.7billion are Chinese or Indian. Both China and India are key players in Asia. Asian continent can be strengthened by the unity of India & China. Unity means power and power means the ability to meet challenges & threats. This is why divide & rule colonial policies were rolled out to divide invaded nations & people. It was colonial division that led to the Indo-Sino war in 1962. An artificial line drawn by a pencil keeps China & India from rebuilding ties. The situation is made worse as neocolonials have tasked local neoliberals to continue divide & rule policies and these locals create tensions to prevent cordial ties between India & China. India is powerful so is China. India is not going to become more powerful by trying to destroy China or by joining with enemies of China. If at all, the enemies of China will use India not only to balkanize China but eventually they will balkanize India. What cost is India’s bogus friendship with countries India cannot truly trust? When neighboring nations are made weak, will it not impact one’s own country? Who seeks to weaken neighboring countries & why? When countries are made weak – who benefits in the end? The one’s who planned it all! It’s been 60 years since Indo-Sino war and that shows how caution has played a key role. Caution must now escalate to 60 more years of collaboration between India & China.
Is what makes China powerful, that threatens nations that thought they would remain powerful?
China has more vessels than Germany, India, Spain & UK navies. This makes China possess the ability to control the oceans. With this comes bases and logistics hubs. It is to prevent these that the anti-China camps are making alliances. Including India to alliance has been the icing on the cake. All their dirty work is now outsourced to India. But what is India gaining eventually? Does India think that India truly belongs to ‘their club’. India may like to watch the fate of Rishi Sunak to realize its own fate. At what cost is India’s allegiance to West joining with Japan who really had no choice given its subservient role post-World War where even Japans constitution was drafted by West. Japan’s inability to remove US troops from Okinawa shows how ‘independent’ Japan is.
Has it occurred to India, that the West’s use of the Church, LTTE Diaspora, UNHRC and the ‘Tamil minority’ card is a stepping towards this ultimate goal? The West has not minced its options about balkanizing India as it did to the Soviet Union & Yugoslavia. Already many of the UN goalposts and programs are in line with creating micro states while promoting corporate civil society governance abandoning the Westphalia system of governance. Much propaganda is being steered towards this end.
India has to way the threats. Who is a bigger threat to India realistically. India & China are key trading partners. Both have the worlds largest populations. People are power. Both have nuclear powers.
The world may think US abhors China – but isn’t it all a hoax? If US hated China so much, why does US encourage Chinese to study in US?
- Majority of international students in US are Chinese.
- 35% of all foreign students in the US are Chinese.
- 914,095 foreign students (2020-2021) – this figure was 15% more in 2019-2020
- In 2020 international students contributed $39billion to the US economy – of which $14.3billion or 36% came from Chinese students (Dept of Commerce/US)
- In 2021, US embassy & consulates in China issued 85,000 student visas
Indian comprise 18.3% of international students in US
4million Indians live in US
Chinese Americans number 5.4million.
Together Indians & Chinese make up almost 10milion out of Americas 329.5million population. Many Indian-Chinese Americans are also holding top level Govt positions. Though they are from native-India or China, they think & act and function more than Americans.
Americans studying abroad for 2019-2020 numbered 162,633 choosing European countries.
Would US stop trading with China? Take a list of the US companies relocated to China – http://www.jiesworld.com/international_corporations_in_china.htm
Did you also know that
- cinema company AMC’s majority stakeholder investing $2.8b is Beijing-based Dalian Wanda Group with power to decide at executive level?
- General Motors relies on partnership with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp to stay profitable. They even set up a facility in Shanghai.
- Swedish company Spotify headquartered in New York is also influenced by Chinese Tencent Holdings Limited
- Snapchat shares have been bought by Chinese Tencent Holdings.
- Hilton Hotels had 25% of its stake bought for $6.5b by Chinese aviation & shipping giant HNA Group allowing 2 Chinese directors to Hilton Board of 10.
There are many more such Chinese investors in US.
Similarly, though many think India-China relations are cold – it is quite contrary.
China has become one of the top 10 education destinations for Indian students.
23,000 Indians were studying in China in 2021 out of 11.3 lakh students.
China offers Indian students scholarships in a variety of subjects & cost of living is far lower that US, UK & Europe. China is also offering jobs.
Politics end up dampening good relations as Indian authorities refused to accept degrees awarded by Pakistan no different to India banned Chinese apps.
In 2016 there were more Indian students in China than in UK (Times of India) 18,171 Indians in China against 18.015 to UK.
Indian students make up the 5th largest group of international students in China after South Korea / USA/Thailand & Pakistan
India-China trade bilateral trade was $125.66billion in 2021.
China’s exports to India have gone up to $57.51billion (increase by 34.5% from 2020)
Indian exports to China however has fallen to $9.57b (decline of 35.3% from 2020)
Top Chinese companies in India – https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-top-chinese-companies-in-india-1591084327-1
What India imports from China – https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/list-of-products-india-imports-from-china-1593509838-1
Culturally too India & China remain close – 1988 Cultural Cooperation Agreement ensures large-scale festivals, art shows, exhibitions, films are held in each other’s countries.
Why does media lie? Why do propagandists attempt to show a different picture to what is on the ground & what is proven statistically?
To whose advantage is it when India & China are at odds?
Where is the source of tension?
On 20 October 1962 Indo-Sino war started when Chinese army invaded Ladakh & crossed McMahon Line. The war ended a month later. India became a republic in 1947 and People’s Republic of China was formed in 1949. Tibet became the contentious subject denting ties and leading to the eventual war.
India & China may recall how India did not attend a conference because China was not invited. India even took pains to speak on behalf of China who had been isolated. Both countries cannot forget the 1954 Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence when India acknowledged Chinese rule in Tibet.
Thereafter came a steady flow of contentious incidents – issues with maps, reception given to Dalai Lama after fleeing Tibet by India in 1959, China attributing Lhasa rebellion to India and the most recent altercation in Galwan.
Sir Henry McMahon the foreign secretary of British India decided the 890km line dividing India & China after the 1914 Shimla Treaty between India & Tibet. China does not accept the line as China was not privy to the agreement & China is not bound by it.
India & China has been squabbling for 108 years over a line drawn by colonial Britain. Then British Foreign Secretary David Miliband apologized to China on 29 October 2008.
India carried all of the British territorial agreements after gaining independence in 1947. PM Nehru refused China’s proposal to negotiate a settlement in 1954 simply accepting British version.
It is now time for India to ask if it wishes to continue to adopt British colonial legacy or work out an amicable settlement with China. So long as issues prevail – external forces will be preying to stir the pot of conflict. This is what teams from India & China must realize.
It is in the interest of both nations to not allow third parties come between them.
Enemy initiatives in Asia is not going to take any Asian nation anywhere. India China & Japan are powerful in their own right – they do not require to be propped up by western alliances. It is time Asia and Asians realize their power and build themselves up on their terms and not those cunningly imported & articulated by forked tongues.
1794 – How “India” looked before British conquered
India before independence: British held territory & Independent Princely States
Map of India prior to 1947
Partitioned Provinces
Division of States from 1947 – 2021
McMahon Line dividing India & China
