The Chinese have understood that our country cannot stand up to their bluster and sabre rattling. We try to pacify them in the hope that the problem will die on its own. This is an error. The claim to territory is a tactic to extract all kinds of concessions and support and used as a tool to put us into a corner. In 1962, the US and the Soviet Union brought pressure on the Chinese to cease fire, but it left India bereft of a large tract of land. With the US and Russia's intervention we could again claim these territories and more importantly to reverse our thinking on the Tibetan question.India has borne the brunt of the influx from Tibet and yet we find it difficult to tell the Chinese that this was an act of blatant agression on the hapless people of Tibet.The derecognition of the McMohon line by China is the consequence of our recognising Tibet.The Chinese have maintained that McMohon line is a piece of British construction and do not recognise it hence the repeated mischief in Arunachal. We have to now take this issue with the British, the US and Russia and seek a settlement if we are serious. Else, go on as usual and hope that the problem will go away as prosperity of India and China will make the whole issue of national boundaries irrelevent in time to come. Are we prepared for it?
