China has overplated the game of insisting on delinking of LAC stand-off from other issues….Indians remain unimpressed
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with SCO member nations Defence Ministers during the summit
Day after Rajnath Singh said China ‘eroded’ relations; with its actions along LAC
A day after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh blamed China for having ‘eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations’ by its actions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Beijing on Friday issued a statement attempting to delink the border issue from other bilateral issues.
A statement posted on the Chinese Defence Ministry website described the yesterday’s meeting between Rajnath and General Li Shangfu at New Delhi.
Without wanting to commit itself on resolving the three-year-old stand-off at the LAC, the Chinese statement said: “The two sides should take a long-term view, place the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations, and promote the transition of the border situation to normalised management”.
Clearly making an attempt to delink the LAC stand off from other matters, the Chinese statement quoted Gen Li as having said: “As major neighbouring countries and important developing countries, China and India share far more common interests than differences.”
Well, India remains totally unimpressed by this Xi prompted suggestions. For things to go back to normal…..businesses usual….the border between India and Tibet have to be demarcated on ground and ratified as a first step. Then in a similar manner the border between Tibet and China must be demarcated on ground. Only thereafter can thingsstart returning to normal.
India has officially conveyed that resolution of LAC stand-off is a pre-requisite to anything else. Rajnath Singh had on Thursday categorically conveyed “development of relations between India and China is premised on prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the borders”, adding that, “All issues at the LAC need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments. Violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations”.
The two sides should view bilateral relations and each other’s development from a comprehensive, long-term and strategic perspective, and jointly contribute wisdom and strength to world and regional peace and stability, it added.
On the LAC, the Chinese statement on Friday said: “Gen. Li pointed out that currently, the situation on China-India border is generally stable and the two sides have maintained communication through military and diplomatic channels”.
General Li should know that this word GENERALLY STABLE is very vague and things may escalate any time.
The Chinese statement added: “It is hoped that the two sides will work together to continuously enhance mutual trust between the two militaries and make proper contributions to the development of bilateral relations.”
This is the first visit by a Chinese Defence Minister to India after the armies of the two countries have been locked –since April 2020– in a stand-off along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, where Chinese PLA is in illegal occupation of Indian territory.
General Li is here for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting to be conducted on Friday. It may not be known commonly that the Defence Minister of China is more for ceremonial purposes. He has no control of the GHQ of the PLA as such.
