The invitation was carried to New Delhi by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang
Yi who was effusive in his praise of his host.
“Under your leadership, India will achieve greater development and
progress; India and China are partners in long-term strategic cooperation,”
Wang said.
He went further, offering Modi Chinese aid in the areas of
infrastructure and manufacturing – key development planks for the new Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) Government.
But
on one point Wang was adamant – there would be no change in the ‘stapled visa’
system that China operates when travellers based in the Indian State of Arunachal
Pradesh and the Indian sector of the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir
seek to visit China.
He
even went as far to say that in the case of Arunachal Pradesh it was done as a
“goodwill gesture” to facilitate travel for people from that area.
The
implication is clear. China still claims virtually the whole of the state as
‘Southern Tibet’. Stapling instead of stamping visas into Indian passport
holders from the area suggests that Indian sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh is
a temporary situation which can only be resolved when it is returned to its
rightful owners.
China’s
case, as with its territorial claims in the South China Sea, rests on its
version of history. A century ago, the borders were negotiated in a tripartite
meeting between representatives of China, Tibet and the British Raj under the
Simla Accord. Tibet agreed to Arunachal Pradesh becoming part of India but
China, which saw Tibet as part of its territory even though at that time the
country was de facto independent, objected and walked out of the talks.
China’s
claim over Tibet became reality when it invaded in 1951. It tried to do the
same in Arunachal Pradesh 11 years later in a short border war with India,
taking advantage of the preoccupation of the United States and the Soviet Union
with the Cuban missile crisis, but was forced to withdraw when both
superpowers, having resolved their differences, put pressure on Beijing to
return to the previous borders.
There
the matter has rested.
However,
Wang’s remarks show that China’s appetite for more territory at the expense of
India is far from satisfied. The soothing words and offer of economic
cooperation are Beijing’s tried and tested methods of softening up opponents in
order to get what it wants.
I
suspect Modi is far too astute to fall for the honey trap. He is certainly
right to seek closer ties and to get what he can from his giant neighbour to
support his ambitious domestic program, but should leave the Chinese leadership
in no doubt that he regards Arunachal Pradesh as India’s sovereign territory –
end of story.
That
will probably mean the current border dispute will drag on – China can’t be
forced to negotiate sensibly – but if that is the price that has to be paid,
then so be it.
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