Chinese envoy proposes “Treaty of Good Neighbourliness” with India; says Beijing angry because President received Dalai Lama - Broadsword by Ajai Shukla - Strategy. Economics. Defence.

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Friday 5 May 2017

Chinese envoy proposes “Treaty of Good Neighbourliness” with India; says Beijing angry because President received Dalai Lama

Outlines four-step road map, includes demarcation of Sikkim border (Above: Dalai Lama in Tawang in 2009)

By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 6th May 17

China’s ambassador to India, Luo Zhaohui, has spelt out a four-step road map to implement a “long term vision for China-India relations”, that would reduce tensions at a time when Beijing has reacted strongly to the Dalai Lama’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

Speaking in New Delhi on Friday, Luo recommended that Beijing and New Delhi “start negotiation on a China-India Treaty of Good Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation.” He highlighted how well the 1993 Treaty for Peace and Tranquillity on the Sino-India Border had worked, but did not elaborate what exactly the new treaty would entail.

He also recommended striving for “an early harvest on the border issue while maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas”, aligning China’s “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative with India’s “Act East Policy”, and restarting talks on a China-India Free Trade Agreement.

In a startling suggestion that the Chinese government has never made publicly before to break the logjam on border negotiations, the envoy suggested that the two sides agree to demarcate the Sino-Indian border in Sikkim.

Until 2003, Beijing had not even recognised Sikkim as a part of India. The northeastern state was assimilated into India in 1975, angering China.

Taking note of India’s objection to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Jammu & Kashmir’s Gilgit-Baltistan area, which Pakistan currently controls, Luo proposed changing the name of the infrastructure corridor to accommodate New Delhi’s concerns.

“If Indian friends find the name of the CPEC improper, I personally think we could change it into the China-Pakistan-India Economic Corridor or South Asian Economic Corridor”, said the envoy.

Dismissing Indian apprehensions that China always puts Pakistan first, Luo said Beijing had changed its position on the Jammu & Kashmir dispute to accommodate Indian concerns.

“[On Kashmir], we supported the relevant UN resolutions before 1990s. Then we supported a settlement through bilateral negotiation in line with the Simla Agreement. This is an example of China accommodating India’s concerns”, he said.

Former Indian foreign secretary, Kanwal Sibal, points out that the mention of the Simla Agreement was significant, with Pakistan currently trying to walk away from the bilateral format and raising the Kashmir issue in the United Nations. The Simla Agreement stipulates that New Delhi and Islamabad would resolve all outstanding disputes bilaterally.

Answering a question about why Beijing had reacted with unusual anger to the Dalai Lama’s recent visit to Tawang, in Arunachal Pradesh – which he had visited earlier in 2009 – Luo stated: “Both sides understand each others’ positions on so-called Arunachal Pradesh. But, for the first time since 1957, an Indian president met the Dalai Lama.”

President Pranab Mukherjee had received the Dalai Lama in December at Rashtrapati Bhawan, when the Tibetan Buddhist leader was invited to a children’s summit. Thirty years earlier, President R Venkatraman had received the Dalai Lama. And 31 years before that, in 1956, President Radhakrishnan had met the young Dalai Lama who was visiting India for a World Buddhist Conference.

That was two years before the Dalai Lama became a Chinese bugbear when he fled from Lhasa, crossed into India near Tawang and was granted refuge by New Delhi. In the opinion of many analysts, this was a key cause for the 1962 war.

The Chinese envoy was speaking at the United Services Institution, a military-linked think tank.

6 comments:

  1. Must be something to do with reincarnation .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Some one in the Politburo obviously knows their Sun Tzu very well, the Han will win the war without a bullet being fired. Inept India, Inept politicians. My heart bleeds for the land and its children.

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  3. China and just about any other country only hears when you are strong enough. India is gaining strength although not quite as much as we would want. Once we are strong enough to make bargains and win wars if we dont, then is when we can expect good gains from China, do not engage in border resolution now as we will be at a disadvantage. Do it once our economy and military is stronger than them. one day soon it will be, just watch.

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  4. NSR says ---

    China agreed to frame work for border demarcation based on settled population and areas in early 2000's...

    And then progressively strengthening economy made it into a bully in Asia...
    They try to shove all kinds of treaties down the throat of India to demonstrate their strength...

    Need to stand up and build defenses...and give them a black eye like Vietnam and Myanmar gave them...then they will settle the border immediately...

    No appeasement...

    On the other hand, can someone have any idea how four terrorists attended and celebrated at a terrorist funeral attended by thousands...only family attended the funeral of policeman...what a shame...where are the politicians...

    What happened to the sharp shooters and snipers? When does India learn its lesson and take charge of situation like Israel...

    The only way to settle the J&K issue is to abrogate Article 370 and it will allow free movement of people, industry, and development...
    Time to resettle Pandits, Sikhs, Gujjars, Christians, etc and ex-army people in the border regions of entire India to strengthen security...

    Situation will get out of hand as both China and Pakistan acting together...
    No talks with the separatists or Pakistan until terrorism is stopped...they need to particioate in democratic elections...

    Can some one has any opinion as to why army let these four terrorists to slip away?

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  5. All the other 3 points are useless, the only point which China wants from India is FTA (Free-Trade Agreement) to dump its surplus output in Indian markets. I wonder which stupid nation will want to sign any agreement, that too FTA with China (with its lopsided BOP). Only fools such as Pakistan, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Burma and Bangladesh got dazzled by the Chinese money and totally lost the business sense, which the Chinese shrewdly managed to get agreement on. From now on, these nations will be under Chinese yoke for long time to come. The only way for them to console themselves is by enimity with India (who must not sign any agreement on Trade with China).

    Instead India should propose a set of agreements,
    1) Fully support India in UNSC permanent membership.
    2) No obstruction to NSG membership.
    3) Pay India Transportation Taxes and customs duty for CPEC via Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.
    4) Grant Autonomy to Tibet and Xinjiang,
    5) Allow India road connectivity to Afghanistan via Tibet and Xinjiang.
    6) Abide by all UNCLOS regulations, specifically w.r.t SCS.

    If all 6 are agreed we can proceed with FTA for China, and other "Good Neighbourliness" ideas.

    Otherwise, its best to look after our own interests.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ask the Chinks about NSG and supporting terrorists before talking about neighborliness. Sounds like thief preaching to me!

    ReplyDelete

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