3 min readNew DelhiJul 4, 2020 07:43 AM IST
First published on: Jul 4, 2020 at 02:13 AM IST
An Indian Army convoy moves along a highway leading to Ladakh, at Gagangeer in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district June 18, 2020. (Reuters/File)
In the wake of the standoff along the LAC in Ladakh, Beijing on Friday said that New Delhi should avoid a “strategic miscalculation” with regard to China.
This kind of statement is unusual from China.
Pakistan had, in 2018, used this phrase. Indian “belligerence” is a threat to regional peace and can lead to “strategic miscalculation”, Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan’s then foreign affairs adviser to PM, had told envoys of P5 countries while briefing them over alleged “ceasefire violations” by India.
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Ladakh on Friday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in Beijing, “Neither side should make any move that may complicate the border situation.”
Responding to questions on Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari’s statement that Chinese companies will be barred from constructing the country’s roads and highways, Zhao said that in recent days some politicians in India have issued “irresponsible remarks” that are “detrimental” to China-India relations. “It calls for concerted efforts on both sides to maintain China-India relations. India should work with China for the same goal and uphold the overall interests of our bilateral relations,” he said.
On banning of Chinese mobile applications, he said, “China-India practical cooperation is mutually beneficial and win-win in nature. Artificially setting up barriers for such cooperation not only violates WTO rules but also hurts India’s interests. China will take all necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese businesses.”
Elaborating on this issue, Zhao said, “I would like to stress that China hopes that India will work with us, follow faithfully the important consensus reached between the two leaders, abide by the agreements between the two governments, strengthen communication and coordination on properly managing the current situation through diplomatic and military channels, and jointly uphold peace and stability in the border areas.”
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“At the same time, we need to see that China and India…bear the historic mission of accelerating national development and rejuvenation. Hence, acts of mutual respect and mutual support represent the right track and also conform to long-term interests of both countries, whereas those of mutual distrust and friction belong to an evil path and go against the fundamental aspirations of the two peoples.”
China and India, he said, “should follow the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and uphold overall bilateral relations. India should avoid a strategic miscalculation with regard to China.”He said China and India are in communication with each other through military and diplomatic channels.
An Indian Army convoy moves along a highway leading to Ladakh, at Gagangeer in Kashmir’s Ganderbal district June 18, 2020. (Reuters/File)
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