An excellent article. Hu has come and gone. The issues will continue to remain unsettled for quite some time. Regardless of who rules, their interests are permanent. Mr. Narayanan refers to the 2005 agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the settlement of the boundary.."of 4/2005. In agreeing to "actual situation on border areas" (which Mr. Narayanan has thoughtfully italicised) we have given up our case on Aksai Chin. This needs to be re-asserted before it becomes too late. Now they are going to lay a modern transport infrastructure via POK connnecting Xinjiang and Gwadar. It is a tragedy that the impact of this had not dawned on our leaders and Foreign Office mandarins.
TOday a commentator's column in a newspaper refers to the discomfort of chinese with the NSA for its apparent hardline and (hence)they are not giving dates for further discussion. The stark fact which has not dawned on our leaders is that not only Chinese gobble up lands but in discussing matters, they want to say with whom they shall talk! There cannot be a greater insult to us than this. Meanwhile our own experts are gung-ho on China and its greatness.
Instead of defending Arunanchal to be part of India and get approval on Sikkim, India should look to recognize Taiwan, Tibet, and Uighir provinces as independent countries, and stake claim on Mt. Kailash and parts. Offense is the best defense.
This is the mistake Indians did, they gave approval to all chinese claims with bended knees and China never even acknowledged our claims.
Yes, this proposition will cause lot of commotion and ill feeling and may damage trade and many of the so called bridge/culture building initiatives. But when the hammer hits the iron, the chinese side will understand that for every action there will be an opposite and quadrupled reaction. Otherwise everybody will claim some part or other or may want to secede. We're already seeing how the philistine's and the arrogant's are using our religious symbols and icons with insolence, printing them from low down to crap.
The Author is right on dot about the Chinese intentions. Historically China has never been a great friend of India. China is even talking to India is due to the fact that US has started recognizing India as a global power. China will not give up Arunachala Pradesh until India gives up support to Tibetan Refugees. China won't give it up easily even if India were to make such gestures on Tibet. So, it is going to be a thorny issue and India has to defend its position even if Trade and other cultural factors take off. China also won't support India for the UN Security Council and will continue to confront her on global forums. So there is no need to celebrate just for an encouraging dialogue between the two.
