Srinagar: “India has exposed itself to China’s interference in Jammu & Kashmir by sending Indian troops to disrupt Chinese soldiers from building a road in the Donglang region”, the Chinese state media, Global Times, said on Sunday.
“If Pakistan requests, ‘a third country’ can dispatch soldiers to the Valley (Jammu and Kashmir),” said an article in the Chinese state media tabloid Global Times.
“Even if India were requested to defend Bhutan’s territory, this could only be limited to its established territory, not the disputed area. Otherwise, under India’s logic, if the Pakistani government requests, a third country’s army can enter the area disputed by India and Pakistan, including India-controlled Kashmir,” said the article, written by Long Xingchun, director of the Centre for Indian Studies at China West Normal University.
Indian and Chinese border troops are locked in a standoff in the Donglang region, near the Sikkim border, which is controlled by China but is also claimed by Bhutan.
For four weeks, the two countries have been involved in a stand-off along a part of their 3,500 kilometres shared border. Since both the countries are populous and have very robust economies, and have fought a war over border disputes in 1962, the stand-off has attracted global media attention.
Both India and China have rushed more troops to the border as the divide between the two neighbouring countries is turning out to be one of the longest since the India-China war of 1962.
According to a report in the Hindustan Times, “China has repeatedly said that Donglang is part of its territory since ‘ancient times’; it’s the first time that a Chinese academic said it is actually ‘disputed’. ”
“Indian troops invaded China’s Doklam area in the name of helping Bhutan, but in fact, the invasion was intended to help India by making use of Bhutan,” Long wrote in his article
“India controls Bhutan’s defence and diplomacy, seriously violating Bhutan’s sovereignty and national interests. Indians have migrated in large numbers to Nepal and Bhutan, interfering with Nepal’s internal affairs. The first challenge for Nepal and Bhutan is to avoid becoming a state of India, like Sikkim,” he added.
Long claimed New Delhi’s policies have violated international laws and norms.
“For a long time, India has been talking about international equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of others, but it has pursued hegemonic diplomacy in South Asia, seriously violating the UN Charter and undermining the basic norms of international relations,” he wrote.
“Through mass immigration to Sikkim, ultimately leading to control of the Sikkim parliament, India annexed Sikkim as one of its states,” the article further said.
China, in 2003, had recognised India’s annexation of Sikkim.
“Although China recognized India’s annexation of Sikkim, it can readjust its stance on the matter. There are those in Sikkim that cherish its history as a separate state, and they are sensitive to how the outside world views the Sikkim issue,” an editorial in the state run media had previously said.
Referring to the Siliguri Corridor that connects mainland India to the states in the northeast, the article said it was New Delhi’s concerns about the geographical connection that triggered the standoff.
“This incursion reflects that India fears China can quickly separate mainland India from northeast India through military means, dividing India into two pieces. In this case, northeast India might take the opportunity to become independent,” the article said.
It added: “India has interpreted China’s infrastructure construction in Tibet as having a geopolitical intention against India. India itself is unable to do the same for its northeastern part, so it is trying to stop China’s road construction.”
