Chinese lessons: A thread (13) on understanding Chinese perceptions of India via past crises. History is an imperfect guide, but worldviews & habits change slowly, so it is worth understanding how China has historically perceived India& #39;s efforts to provide for its own security.
Most accounts of India-China relations contain the claim that Mao ordered the invasion of India in 1962 to "teach India a lesson" for its Forward Policy, which allegedly had designs on destabilizing Chinese control of Tibet. For example, MacFarquhar quoted in Lintner.https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👇" title="Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Rückhand Zeigefinger nach unten">
Around the same time in Oct 1986, Deng Xiaoping told US SecDef Weinberger that India was "nibbling" on Chinese territory and that China would have to "teach India a lesson." Below from @manjeetsp& #39;s excellent article on the Sumdorong Chu crisis.
Dec 1986, when India amended its constitution to create the state of Arunachal Pradesh, the CCP-controlled HK newspaper Wen Wei Po claimed India was legalizing the occupation of PRC territory. In reference to Sumdorong Chu, it said 1962 "may serve as a lesson." Below from Garver.
July 2017, in the midst of the Doklam crisis, a Global Times article stated: "To such an unruly neighbor, China should reciprocate in a language that India can understand...If memory is short on the Indian side, perhaps there should be a second lesson." https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1057817.shtml">https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1...
June 24, 2020, in an article on the border clash, the GT editor wrote, "The PLA has taught a lesson to the Indian side, which has always misjudged Chinese people& #39;s determination & advantages." In both 2017 & 2020, more than one article used this metaphor. https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1192622.shtml">https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1...
The metaphor of the lesson, occurring repeatedly, presumes a teacher & a student. A powerful, more educated actor schooling an unruly ignorant pupil. Much has been written about China& #39;s self-perceived civilizational superiority over Asia. This is perhaps one strand of it.
Other lessons from history:
1. Whenever India has sought to shore up its defences near the LAC, China has become irritated and sought to teach India a lesson. The main sensitivity seems to be around peripheral regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang.
2. The role of Arunachal becoming a state in the Sumdorong Chu crisis shows that administrative changes, while entirely legitimate, legal, and the act of a sovereign government, can have negative security externalities. The same may be true of Ladakh becoming a UT.
3. The immediate Sumdorong Chu crisis was resolved by the demonstration of Indian capabilities and resolve via Operation Chequerboard, as well as EAM N.D. Tiwari& #39;s visit to Beijing to make peace. Strength on one hand, openness to diplomacy on the other.
Instead of being wilfully blind & deaf to what aggravates China for fear of "legitimizing Chinese aggression" or "delegitimizing Indian policy," India (and Indians) should understand how China perceives India & its actions along the LAC.
Only then can India plan for the security dilemma dynamics inherent in India& #39;s growing capabilities along the LAC, the security externalities of domestic policy, and the civilizational baggage that attends to any conversation with the People& #39;s Republic. /END
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