Beijing warns India about China-Pakistan axis

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

'It is not possible for New Delhi to take sides between Beijing and Washington.'
Rajeev Sharma explains what is going on.

IMAGE: A giant billboard welcoming Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Islamabad last year. Photograph: Reuters


China is elated with India's public rejection of Washington's invitation of joint patrols by the US, Japan, Australia and India in the volatile South China Sea, but has warned New Delhi of the China-Pakistan axis.

Beijing wielded this double-edged sword at India through an editorial in its hardline English daily, theGlobal Timeson March 10, the full text of which can be accessed here:US makes S.China Sea a flashpoint - Global Times

India finds a deep focus in the Chinese newspaper's editorial in only one paragraph. Here it goes: 'India has already publicly refused the invitation of joint patrols from the White House. Having its own major power ambitions as well as a non-aligned foreign policy, it is not possible for New Delhi to take sides between Beijing and Washington. Apart from the triangle of China, the US and India, the latter also needs to consider the China-India-Pakistan strategic triangle.'

The clever work done by the Chinese newspaper is the fact that it has deliberately kept the key word 'the latter' vague because it can mean India and can also mean the US.

This is Chinese obfuscation at its best. China can always tell India that the editorial was meant to be US-bashing and not against India.

Yet, China has succeeded in issuing a direct warning to India which it knows won't be missed by the Indians! The master stroke is that the comment is from a Chinese newspaper after all, not a stated position of the Chinese foreign office.

This is how the Chinese have been conducting their foreign policy for decades. Whenever a hard-hitting message to any foreign power -- be it a friend or foe or frenemy -- is to be delivered, it is done through editorials and commentaries of the Chinese media, all of which is State-owned. At the same time there is complete deniability as far as the Chinese foreign office is concerned.

Through theGlobal Timeseditorial, China has sought to achieve another diplomatic objective: Ridiculing the US for failing to drum up an anti-China coalition so far despite its best and sustained efforts to make the South China Sea a flashpoint.

This point is important as it conveys that China has dug in its heels and not prepared to budge an inch over its growing assertiveness, both diplomatically and militarily, over the South China Sea issue.

China's growing confidence is not misplaced as apart from Japan no other power is willing to openly side with the US at China's expense.

The curt Chinese message to the Americans is two-fold as per the newspaper's quotes.

1. Regional countries will be reluctant to be US partners if a war breaks out between China and the US since China holds considerable countermeasures.

2. Forging a military alliance against China will not be easy. Development is the priority for countries in the region, while easing tensions and maintaining collaboration amid disputes are common wishes in the area. The more tensions the US stirs up in the waters, the more vigilance against it there will be.

There are two more recipients of China's warnings: The 10-nation ASEAN and Australia. While India has outrightly rejected the US offer of joint patrols in the South China Sea, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, has been keeping an ambiguous attitude, steadfastly refusing to take sides in the US-China rivalry.

China has already taken note of reports that the fence-sitter Australia may opt for the US in the 'us or them' game being played in the region between China and the US.

Australia and the US have been engaged in serious negotiations for some time on having Australia as a long-range American bombers base to target China's land and reefs in the South China Sea.

TheGlobal Timeseditorial has issued a naked warning to Australia thus: 'Canberra might have to deliberate whether the deployment will make it more safe. Instead, it could undermine the implementation of the free trade agreement between Australia and China.'

This has been China's strategy for decades: Using trade and economy as trusted insurance policies against anti-China military alliances the world over.

Rajeev Sharma is an independent journalist and strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha

Beijing warns India about China-Pakistan axis - Rediff.com India News

 

[Spectre]

We can play this game too but meh....

One should neither underestimate and more importantly never overestimate the enemy. India has certain important ambitions which requires Chinese cooperation and I believe creating a problem and then solving it is an excellent way to gain China's gratitude and at the same time it serves as a reminder that if China does not take India's interests seriously or tries to undermine them then there will consequences to pay.

^^^ This is exactly what has happened - Modi has employed a carrot and stick policy - First he made China nervous by
- Making a statement about expansionist powers clearly pointed towards China in Japan
- Increased cooperation and defence visits to other countries having bad equation with China
- Naval exercises with US and Japan

Just when the pot is stirred well and good he abstains from delivering coup de grace by operationalizing military partnership with US against China.

Good Work!

 

[Mirza Jatt]

I see no warning.. I see nervousness !!

 

[4GTejasBVR]

Its really serious indeed.... China is betting on one thing for a while now ... Guess what? You might think about its military powers but : "Development is the priority for countries in the region" this is something need to be taken in this case .

There are three categories of China's enemies .

One economically well of and could retaliate with full force ....
China don't dare economically viable countries like US , Aussie Japan India ...

No2... Category the nations which will retaliate with full might if China does what it recently did with Philippines island . A war with any of these countries like India Vietnam South Korea even though these countries are now focused on growth and wish for peace will go for war what so ever. So China deals with them with threats and meanwhile strengthening its trade relationship.

The last category is the Weak, economically crippled countries like Philippines Indonesia north Korea... These are countries will feel Chinese pressure in threats of war...

But China need to understand world has changed. These weakness are now matter of pride and promises. They make alliance and full fill their wish list showcasing these weakness with the above two categories nations. If China needs a war so be it . India should make sure its power circle in SCS remains intact. Hell lot of nations in SCS wants îndią to do more like Afghans did for very longtime . Don't repeat the same mistakes of Afghanistan Pakistan case

 

[$@rJen]

LoL... China Fightng a 4 front war is inevitable

 

[4GTejasBVR]

Wonder how China can win war against rest of the world. Am not sure how Russia would react when China goes for war against India, Japan or Vietnamese !!?? All these nations will get full support from US ...war against china ??? And all these nations are very important for Russians for many reasons not just economical aspects... Russia will choose Russia's interest or China's interest...

View attachment 298799

LoL... China Fightng a 4 front war is inevitable

Of course all weak nations will settle its differences in SCS deleting China...

 

[Kiss_of_the_Dragon]

This has been China's strategy for decades: Using trade and economy as trusted insurance policies against anti-China military alliances the world over.

Trade and economy are not the only tools we got to counter anti-China military alliance, I think people don't need to think hard of what China is capable of, all options are on the table but we always want to start with a solf ones.

 

[Abingdonboy]

'It is not possible for New Delhi to take sides between Beijing and Washington.'
Rajeev Sharma explains what is going on.

IMAGE: A giant billboard welcoming Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Islamabad last year. Photograph: Reuters


China is elated with India's public rejection of Washington's invitation of joint patrols by the US, Japan, Australia and India in the volatile South China Sea, but has warned New Delhi of the China-Pakistan axis.

Beijing wielded this double-edged sword at India through an editorial in its hardline English daily, theGlobal Timeson March 10, the full text of which can be accessed here:US makes S.China Sea a flashpoint - Global Times

India finds a deep focus in the Chinese newspaper's editorial in only one paragraph. Here it goes: 'India has already publicly refused the invitation of joint patrols from the White House. Having its own major power ambitions as well as a non-aligned foreign policy, it is not possible for New Delhi to take sides between Beijing and Washington. Apart from the triangle of China, the US and India, the latter also needs to consider the China-India-Pakistan strategic triangle.'

The clever work done by the Chinese newspaper is the fact that it has deliberately kept the key word 'the latter' vague because it can mean India and can also mean the US.

This is Chinese obfuscation at its best. China can always tell India that the editorial was meant to be US-bashing and not against India.

Yet, China has succeeded in issuing a direct warning to India which it knows won't be missed by the Indians! The master stroke is that the comment is from a Chinese newspaper after all, not a stated position of the Chinese foreign office.

This is how the Chinese have been conducting their foreign policy for decades. Whenever a hard-hitting message to any foreign power -- be it a friend or foe or frenemy -- is to be delivered, it is done through editorials and commentaries of the Chinese media, all of which is State-owned. At the same time there is complete deniability as far as the Chinese foreign office is concerned.

Through theGlobal Timeseditorial, China has sought to achieve another diplomatic objective: Ridiculing the US for failing to drum up an anti-China coalition so far despite its best and sustained efforts to make the South China Sea a flashpoint.

This point is important as it conveys that China has dug in its heels and not prepared to budge an inch over its growing assertiveness, both diplomatically and militarily, over the South China Sea issue.

China's growing confidence is not misplaced as apart from Japan no other power is willing to openly side with the US at China's expense.

The curt Chinese message to the Americans is two-fold as per the newspaper's quotes.

1. Regional countries will be reluctant to be US partners if a war breaks out between China and the US since China holds considerable countermeasures.

2. Forging a military alliance against China will not be easy. Development is the priority for countries in the region, while easing tensions and maintaining collaboration amid disputes are common wishes in the area. The more tensions the US stirs up in the waters, the more vigilance against it there will be.

There are two more recipients of China's warnings: The 10-nation ASEAN and Australia. While India has outrightly rejected the US offer of joint patrols in the South China Sea, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, has been keeping an ambiguous attitude, steadfastly refusing to take sides in the US-China rivalry.

China has already taken note of reports that the fence-sitter Australia may opt for the US in the 'us or them' game being played in the region between China and the US.

Australia and the US have been engaged in serious negotiations for some time on having Australia as a long-range American bombers base to target China's land and reefs in the South China Sea.

TheGlobal Timeseditorial has issued a naked warning to Australia thus: 'Canberra might have to deliberate whether the deployment will make it more safe. Instead, it could undermine the implementation of the free trade agreement between Australia and China.'

This has been China's strategy for decades: Using trade and economy as trusted insurance policies against anti-China military alliances the world over.

Rajeev Sharma is an independent journalist and strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha

Beijing warns India about China-Pakistan axis - Rediff.com India News

Long term, India and China will be friends of that I have no doubt- there are just too many converging interests and thus Pakistan will be left in the dark. But right now both nations are through that awkward growth phase where they need to point their elbows out and exert themselves.

In 5 years India might be making similar "warnings" about an Indo-Jap alliance or Indo-Viet alliance but in 20-30 years China and India will be on the same page barring unforseen circumstances.