The expected happened. The 13th round of corps commander level talks held in Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC on Sunday, did not yield any results, with the Chinese adamant about not listening to the constructive suggestions made by the Indian side about disengagement of troops from PP15, also known as Hot Springs, apart from the Depsang bulge area. According to the statement issued by the Indian Army, The Indian side pointed out that the situation along the LAC had been created by the unilateral action by the Chinese side to alter the status quo, in violation of all bilateral agreements and that “it was, therefore, necessary that the Chinese side take appropriate steps in the remaining areas so as to restore peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector”. There are reports that there was expectation that some sort of an agreement would be arrived at especially about PP 15, but the Chinese came to the negotiating table with no intention to negotiate. To the “constructive” proposals suggested by the Indian Army, the Chinese said “no”, but could not come up with alternate proposals. The PLA too issued a statement blaming India’s “unreasonable and unrealistic” stand for adding to the difficulties of arriving at a solution. Later, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian said that “the Chinese side made great efforts to ease and cool the border situation” sincerely, but “the Indian side still insisted on its unreasonable and unrealistic demands, which added difficulties to the negotiations. China is firm in its resolve to safeguard national sovereignty.” Global Times, as it is its wont, added some muscle to the matter by attributing the “root cause” of the problem to India not developing the “correct attitude” while negotiating with China and always making “unrealistic demands not in line with the real situation or its strength”. Tweak a word or two and it is as if the People’s Republic of China has a template ready for its response to anything related to its border problem with India. It’s the same haughty “it’s India’s fault”, “it’s India that is violating PRC sovereignty” “India should behave, or else”…and it continues.
Like a leopard that does not change its spots, China doesn’t too. It is not giving up the strategic and tactical advantages it has in the areas under discussion. They are not India, where we hope that may be China wants peace, and so we vacate the Kailash heights, thus giving up the bargaining chip we had. And now apparently we face a Line of Control like situation at the Line of Actual Control. Our soldiers will have to stay along the LAC through the harsh Himalayan winter this year as well. What should be more worrying is the possibility of a kinetic conflict. This has to be seen in the context of the repeated incursions into Indian territory by the Chinese, under the pretext that it is India that has violated Chinese sovereignty by occupying Chinese territory. Given Communist China’s history, every conflict it has got embroiled in is always the other side’s fault. Is China now preparing the ground to start a conflict with India at a time and place of its own choosing? Can we say with certainty that the military build-up along the LAC is just posturing and Xi Jinping does not want a war, as some “experts” are saying? A lot may depend on the domestic situation in China. At a time when the Chinese economy has taken a hit, the real estate sector is tanking, when people are losing their life’s savings, social disparity is increasing, what stops Xi Jinping from trying to rally the public around him on the issue of nationalism? His own house is divided, with factionalism rampant in the CPC. There is speculation that the “President for Life” is not as secure as he would like to be, ahead of next year’s Party Congress. It’s a very precarious situation where the course of history may get decided by the insecurities of one man, for there is every chance that a limited conflict may spread to the whole of Indo-Pacific and beyond. Let us hope that Xi Jinping will not make the mistake of plunging the world into a crisis. As for India, this is not 1962. India has the ability to give him a bloody nose, it just needs to be proactive in countering China, instead of being reactive. Also, negotiate with China but stick to your terms, stand up to the Chinese bully. Do not be eager to make peace, for there is no making peace with China.