Doklam stand-off: Chinese PLA General shuts down commentators calling for military action against India

The People’s Liberation Army in China has shot down suggestions from hawks who have demanded military action against India over the stand-off in Doklam.

According to a Times of India report, a general from the PLA said that anti-India commentators do ‘not have a clear understanding of China’s strategic positioning.’

"China and India are both neighbours and competitors, but not all competitors must be treated in the toughest way," Maj Gen Qiao Liang, also military strategist, wrote in the Beijing-based Global Times.

Qiao wrote: "The Doklam confrontation was solved in the way it should have been... we should spare no efforts to avoid pushing the country into a war as peace is the best outcome." This is the first time since the Doklam crisis that a Chinese military officer has talked about the need to avoid war.

"Many people would say that road construction in China's territory was none of India's business. Is this belief right? It's reasonable to some extent because road construction in this area is not a matter of right and wrong, but we need to understand that it's not always right to do something right at any time. Only doing the right thing at the right time is correct," Qiao said.

China on Wednesday had expressed interest in establishing a high-speed railway network in India. The move comes after Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Indian government have spoken extensively on launching a bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.