BEIJING: Any attempt to change the status quo on the border would lead to a situation similar to Doklam, Indian ambassador in Beijing, Gautam Bambawale has said. In an interview to
South China Morning Post, he said, “In order to maintain the peace and tranquility along the India-China border, there are certain areas, certain sectors which are very sensitive, which both the countries must not change the status quo, it will lead to a situation like what happened in Doklam.”
Chinese foreign ministry is expected to react to the statement on Monday. The statement is a major test of China’s patience at a time when it is heading towards a trade war with the US. The tone and the aggressiveness of the reaction will be watched closely in New Delhi and around the world. The ambassador pressed his point further, saying that the border standoff occurred last year when China tried to change the status quo and India reacted to it.
Recent reports have suggested that Beijing is quietly making a road in the southern part of the Doklam plateau. It’s significant than an Indian envoy has put forth New Delhi’s views in a forceful manner immediately after Chinese president
Xi Jinping began his second term and the country’s parliament was amended to give the right to rule perpetually beyond the end of the second term in 2023.
He chose South China Morning Post, a relatively independent newspaper from non-Communist Hong Kong to voice India’s opinion. India is not concerned about China’s projects with any third country, he pointed out. But New Delhi has opposed the China-backed China
Pakistan Economic Corridor (
CPEC) because it passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
One of the norms of a healthy India-China relationship is that any project should not violate the sovereignty and integrity of India, he said. At the same time, India won’t let the difference over the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) become a bone of contention with Beijing. Incidentally, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi had recently said that Indian elephant and Chinese dragon must not fight with each other but dance with each other.
