Chinese Sequel       

Arnav Anjaria



Sometime back the headlines suggesting China’s opposition to the sanctioning of a $2.9 billion loan package to India by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), for a watershed project in Arunachal Pradesh has shocking implications.

China’s opposition came in the wake of its claim over Arunachal Pradesh as a Chinese territory. It argues that Arunachal Pradesh is a part of Southern Tibet and continues to “portray” Arunachal as a disputed area.

On one hand this merely means a territorial dispute but on the other, it should be seen in connection with China’s growing hegemonic attitude in relation to South Asia.

Primarily the $2.9 billion are to be spent by the Indian Government for flood management and water supply of the Brahmaputra water to the Northeastern States. India’s keenness in setting up this project is to counter the ecological and riverside damage that may take place because of deforestation and water diversion in the Tibetan areas bordering India’s North Eastern Region.

China’s blindfolded development policy in Tibet has disturbing influence on the regions delicate eco-system further damaging this eco-system may possibly have a disastrous consequence to the many South Asian nation-on the water front. 

Thus China’s recent stand on Arunachal isn’t a one-off incident but it easily fits in a sequel of events which have only hampered India’s self esteem.

A few years back the then Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Gegong Apang was denied a visa to visit China by the Chinese government on the grounds that as a resident of Arunachal, he was a Chinese national. This “trivial” stand of the Chinese continued to prevail on a number of occasions, again coming to the fore in case of Ganesh Kayu, an Arunachal IAS officer, who in 2007 was refused a visa over similar grounds.

China also registered its protest against Manmohan Singh’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh. This behavior on part of China reflects its duality of character where on one hand it seeks to achieve greater bilateral relationship but on the other hand continues to tickle India over the territorial issue.

Another noteworthy development gives a feeling that China seeks to imprint its hegemony over India. Recently China has also had a series of defense related pacts with almost all of India’s neighbors, starting from Bangladesh, Myanmar Sri Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan.

With almost all these countries it has had a role to play in building up its naval bases. Thus, leading to a growing Chinese influence in the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. With India’s maritime supremacy facing a serious threat from the Chinese. China’s presence in all of the three water bodies also means a greater access to it in one of the most important trade route.

Thus as a supporter of the Tibetan cause and as a devote nationalist it’s my prerogative to reaffirm my faith in the omnipresent slogan “Tibet ki azaadi, Bharat Ki Suraksha” (Tibet’s Independence is India’s security).  Only a solution to the Tibetan issue can yield or generate a solution to India’s miseries on its north and north eastern border.  The recent developments over China’s initiative to start building a mega-hydropower project on the Brahmaputra, may affect millions of people across South and South East Asia. India’s national interest lies in bringing about a solution to the Tibetan issue and a solution to the conflict in Tibet would or can only mean the restoration of the Tibetan independence. It seems a distant dream as of now but the state of geopolitics, the growing environmental concern will make the Indian leadership react.

India has throughout been vehemently supportive to the Tibetan people. It has helped rebuild their lives, but somewhere the accusation always remains that at the diplomatic level, it has not done enough to further the cause of a probable solution to the Tibetan issue.

 Therefore, it’s now unto the Indian leadership to adopt a strong or rather emphatic policy in dealing with the Chinese and not simply remain in awe of China’s economic clout.

A realistic and refurbished outlook is required in maintaining and upholding the cause of balance of power in Asia. After all as the saying in diplomatic terms goes, “China should be judged by what it does and not by what it says”

·    The writer is a third year student of Integrated Masters in Political Science at the University of Hyderabad. He can be contacted at arnav.anjaria@gmail.com

Arnav Anjaria

IMA Social Science

University of Hyderabad

arnav.anjaria@gmail.com