To improve ties with Beijing, Delhi has been reluctant to work with Taipei. Shed the diffidence, engage more
Hindustan Times
Date: Jun 28, 2020
By: Sana Hashmi
In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, President Tsai Ing-wen, walks ahead of Vice-President Lai Ching-te, as they attend an inauguration ceremony, Taipei, Taiwan, May 20, 2020 (AP)
The India-China border stand-off in the Galwan Valley, following China’s incursion into Indian territory, is a reminder of India’s perennial problems with China. The recent violent clashes are an indication of Beijing’s hardline approach towards India. The statements issued by Chinese officials and the ministry of foreign affairs have made it clear that the Chinese are in no mood for a rapprochement. What these clashes have confirmed is that this is not just about differing perceptions of the boundary, but China’s blatant attempts to change the status quo. This is in clear violation of the Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas signed in 1993. A full-fledged conflict is not in the interest of either country. In this context, India has no option but to engage China in a dialogue to defuse tensions.
But dialogue and confidence-building measures alone will not lead India towards a resolution of the problem. History shows that China goes for boundary dispute resolutions only when it finds that the gains are tangible. For now, it is in its interest to keep the dispute alive. China’s aggressive posture towards India and the boundary dispute set the right context for why there could not be a better time for India to engage Taiwan meaningfully. [FULL STORY]
