COVID 19 AND CONFLICTS ON THE BOARDERS

China is trying to make use of the situation to their advantage. China is scratching us for quite some time. The crux of the matter is their diplomatic overtaking. They have been playing for long but we remained as a silent spectator. By using our disputes with Pakistan, China has brought them to their fold. India had a traditional relationship with Nepal for a very long time. China could successfully trespass into it and snatched them too to their fold. They have even going to introduce Mandarin into the school syllabus of Nepal. Another Tibet! We seem to have not bothered at all. Similarly Bangladesh is also moving to the Chinese basket. The illegitimate diplomacy of the Chinese are already on the move to play similar games in Sri Lanka and Maldives. Altogether China want to crush India economically and socially. They will not come out to a full fledged war with India. They know the result very well. After such a war the name China will not be found on the world map. Of course, India too may have s similar end.

We must counter these dirty games in the same coin. China has terrific issues with Hong Kong. Hong Kong wants their own independent government. As per a recent survey by a Hong Kong based University only 13 per cent of people from Hong Kong prefer a Chinese ruling their. Taiwan is going all out to have their own government with no interference by the Chinese. China also have unresolved problems with Vietnam. These two have fought a prolonged war since 1979 to 1990. China could not bring Vietnam to their command. However China has put some effort to improve the diplomatic and economic relations between the two, with certain hidden targets. Disputes still persist between them over 1281 km boarders shared between the two. China and Japan have longstanding strained relation. The war they fought from 1937 to 1945 had made further stress in their relationship. While Japan is governed by a parliamentary constitutional monarchy where wealth is divided in a fairly equal manner, China on the other hand ruled by a communist authoritarian government where the gap between rich and poor are wide. It is a Neocommunism in China, not what preached by Karl Marx and the lot. Since China has kept themselves aloof in the case of public opinion much cannot be gathered from the people. Far from all these US, UK, Australia, Germany etc have strained relation with China. Though Russia is a trusted friend of India, when China is on our opposite side, they are likely to be a neutral player.

Now, under this circumstances, when China is provoking us with the help of our neighbours, though it may not lead to a war, our diplomatic game makers may wake up to the situation and find a longstanding trouble free relationship with China. We must also do necessary repairs in the strained relations with our neighbours. Also it is to be ensured that our government spends more time in such international matters than the local politics.

KV George

kvgeorgein@gmail.com