Tensions between New Delhi and Beijing showed no signs of abating, as China on Thursday issued a second travel advisory warning its citizens against traveling to India. Coming amidst the nearly two-month long standoff between the countries at Doklam in Bhutan, the Chinese advisory shows that Beijing has no intention of either softening its stance or backing down.
The advisory also comes in the midst of New Delhi asking the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to construct a stand-alone road from Marsimik La to Hot Springs in Ladakh. Once constructed, the 32.9-km standalone road will give security forces access to remote areas in the east Ladakh region, which has earlier witnessed aggression from Chinese forces.
Beijing has responded aggressively to India's initiative to build a road there. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that India was "slapping its own face" and that the "move shows that India says one thing and does another on the border issue." Hua also added that the construction of the road "was not conducive to peace and stability in the region."
India and China have a dispute over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of Ladakh. The dispute began when India stalled the construction of a Chinese road in Doklam.
New Delhi had opposed the construction of the Chinese road stating that it was a threat to India's security interests.
The region was very close to its Siliguri corridor which connects India's northeast with the rest of the country. Beijing maintains that the road is being built within its own territory and called on New Delhi to unconditionally withdraw its troops from the area.
Earlier in the week, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tried to calm tempers by stating in a speech that he hoped that Beijing would soon make a "positive" move towards resolving the standoff. However, Chinese media and government officials seemed to brush off Singh's comments. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, on Tuesday, stated that "Indian troops had illegally crossed the boundary." She added that while China loves peace, they would not allow, "any country or any individual to infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty."
The long term implications of the Doklam standoff are yet to be seen but the main fallout is likely to be that on trade. Chinese media claimed that New Delhi recently imposed anti-dumping duties on 93 Chinese products and an article in the Global Times — part of the ruling Communist Party's publication group — warned Chinese firms of investing in India. The article also warned New Delhi, to be "prepared for the possible consequences for its ill-considered action."
According to figures shared by Commerce ministry, bilateral trade stands at $70 billion while the trade deficit mounted to over $52 billion in favour of China. China has also become one of the fastest growing sources of Foreign Direct Investment in India – it ranked 17th in 2017 with a total investment of $1.6 billion.
So despite some calls by sections in India to boycott Chinese made cellphones and other products, the reality is that India needs Chinese investment and China needs access to one of the world's fastest growing markets. It is thus in the interests of both sides to temper down the rhetoric and get on with business.
ROAD RAGE
- New Delhi has asked BRO to construct a road from Marsimik La to Ladakh.
- The 32.9-km road will give security forces access to east Ladakh.
— Agencies
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