Stand-off on Bhutan border is not a Chinese invasion
Re: “Writer is not so strong on China”, Have Your Say, July 10.
Perhaps I can add a few more facts to dispute the groundless allegation that China is on a land-grabbing mission.
The current stand-off between China and India is over a controversial road that runs through a remote pocket of land known as Doklam Plateau on the unmarked border between China and Bhutan which is under Chinese control.
The Sino-Bhutanese border is highly significant to India (though not so much to Bhutan) since the area is extremely close to a very vulnerable stretch of Indian territory that effectively connects the bulk of India to its northeastern states.
Border disputes in this region are arguably a result of British colonialism. India inherited Sikkim and Bhutan, as their protector, from the British after India gained independence. Bhutan has not established diplomatic relations with China even though border negotiations between the two countries have carried on for more than four decades.
While a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted saying “Doklam has been a part of China since ancient times. It does not belong to Bhutan, still less India”, India probably feels it is now in a stronger position, militarily, to challenge China than it was in 1962, when a similar land dispute ended in a Chinese victory.
Since China and India both belong to the so-called Brics – the association of five major emerging economies – they will hopefully exercise self-restraint and avoid any skirmishes that might lead to unnecessary loss of life.
Yingwai Suchaovanich
