Chinese troops enter Sikkim sector, destroyed two bunkers

[Hindustani78]

 

[Dungeness]

You did not join the grand party?

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/chin...-they-just-cant-stop-their-humiliaton.513704/

While Indians are having a good time mocking China:

 

[Han Patriot]

Some Indian got his *** kicked

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...dia-neednt-worry-nepal-pm/article19555356.ece

Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba says won’t allow territory to be used against India
The two-month old standoff between India and China at Doklam did not feature in the official talks between visiting Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and PM Modi, said officials, but India-China tensions were the highlight of an event that followed, where Mr. Deuba and several Ministers were present.

‘No China threat’
“We have excellent relations with China and don’t face problems from them,” Mr. Deuba told an audience at the event organised by the India Foundation here.

“India need not have any apprehensions about that. However, under no circumstances would Nepal allow its soil to be used against India,” he added.

Mr. Deuba was responding to a speech by Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who had alluded to problems that Nepal could face from its strong northern neighbour. “India is willing to help Nepal any time, in any manner required,” Mr. Paswan said.

Referring to the strain in ties between India and Nepal in 2015, when a blockade during protests by Madhesi groups at the India Nepal border had cut essential goods and fuel supplies to Kathmandu, Mr. Paswan said these were common in “families”.

“There is always some small issues [khat-pat] that goes on within a family. But we have ancient relations, and Nepal is a place of our faith [astha],” he said in Hindi.

Later on Thursday, Mr. Deuba also attended a reception hosted by the Nepali Ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhyay. Significantly, the Ambassadors of China and Bhutan to India as well as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were present at the occasion.

When asked whether the issue had been discussed between Mr. Deuba and Mr. Modi during their meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said they had not spoken about the Doklam dispute that has seen Indian and Chinese troops in a face-off since June 16th. “India-China relations did not figure in the talks,” Mr. Jaishankar said in response to the questions, and neither, he said, had the Doklam issue.

Mr. Deuba’s comments reflect the tightrope that Nepal has been attempting to walk in the past few months, especially after it joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which India has objected to on sovereignty issues.

On his last visit to India in November 2016 as head of the Nepali Congress, he had faced questions over an alleged meeting between him and the Tibetan “government in exile’s” Sikyong or leader Lobsang Sangay at a conference in Goa also organised by the India Foundation.

In a statement the Nepali Congress had denied the reports and expressed its support for the “One China” policy. Earlier this month, Nepal’s Deputy PM and the Foreign Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara had also said that Nepal would not be “dragged” into the Doklam dispute between India and China, adding that Nepal has “not taken any side in this matter.”

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...force-chief/story-FeemuEwKxUPvHyMe7tLDTK.html
Press Trust of India, Bengaluru

Air chief marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa addresses the 56th Annual Conference of Indian Society of Aerospace Medicine in Bengaluru on Friday.(PTI photo)

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa on Friday asserted that the Indian Air Force (IAF) was prepared to tackle all contingencies.

He was replying to a query on the preparedness of the IAF to face any eventuality in the wake of a standoff between the Indian and Chinese troops in the Dokalam sector in Bhutan.

The Air Chief Marshal was in the city to inaugurate the 56th Annual Conference organised by the Indian Institute of Aerospace Medicine.

Dhanoa had, in a media interview in July, said there had been a tremendous jump in the capabilities of the Air Force from the time of the 1999 Kargil war and the ability to operate day and night and in all weather conditions had shown a significant increase in the last 18 years.

He had also said the ability to keep a vigil along the border had increased, as had the IAF’s reconnaissance capabilities.

In a message to his men, Dhanoa had said they should be ready to execute operations in a very short time with whatever they had and not with what they were supposed to have.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Dhanoa said grounding of pilots on medical grounds was a tremendous loss to the IAF and also adversely affected the morale of the individuals concerned.

“Your scientific work may provide hope to the aviators, who have overcome medical ailments, to return to active flying duties,” he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

SHENYANG, Aug. 24 (ChinaMil) -- The PLA Army's Firepower-2017•Shandan base training exercise kicked off at a training range in Liaoning province at wee hours of August 19. It is the first of the four base training exercises, code named "Stride-2017•Zhurihe", "Firepower-2017•Qingtongxia", "Firepower-2017•Shandan" and "Firepower-2017•Queshan", organized directly by the PLA Army Headquarters in 2017.

There are nine base training exercises scheduled for this year, five of which will be organized by the army troops under the five theater commands of the PLA and four by the PLA Army Headquarters, according to an official from the Training Bureau of the PLA Army Staff Department.

These training exercises will be conducted in the following two months in four procedures of combat readiness, long-range delivery, offensive-defensive combat, review and summary.

This is the first base training excise launched by the PLA Army after the organizational reform of the grassroots units of the PLA, the drill aims to test the combat readiness of all types of troops, expose problems and explore new training methods, Senior Colonel Liu Zheng, commander of an air defense brigade of the 79th Combined Corps, told PLA Daily.

The brigade conducted rail transport of hardware under the cover of night screen at wee hours of August 22 in the training range in south Liaoning.

It is known that the five base training exercises organized by army troops under PLA's five theater commands will be conducted successively from August to December.

********************



HQ-16 medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems attached to an air-defense brigade with the PLA 73rd Group Army fire surface-to-air missiles at simulated aerial targets during the live-fire training in northwestern China's Gobi Desert on August 24, 2017. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Fang Jia and Xiong Jian)

A Tor anti-aircraft missile system attached to an air-defense brigade with the PLA 73rd Group Army fires missiles at simulated aerial targets during the live-fire training in northwestern China's Gobi Desert on August 24, 2017. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Fang Jia and Xiong Jian)

Soldiers assigned to an air-defense brigade with the PLA 73rd Group Army operate a crane to load HQ-16 medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems onto the missile launching trucks during the live-fire training in northwestern China's Gobi Desert on August 24, 2017. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Fang Jia and Xiong Jian)

Soldiers assigned to an air-defense brigade with the PLA 73rd Group Army operate a crane to load HQ-16 medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems onto the missile launching trucks during the live-fire training in northwestern China's Gobi Desert on August 24, 2017. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Fang Jia and Xiong Jian)

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...hinese-blog/article19569684.ece?homepage=true

On the frontier Kupup, the closest point to Doklam, has a dozen tin-thatched private houses. | Photo Credit: SUVOJIT BAGCHI

The expansive, if not fanciful interpretation of contemporary history, is not without its critics in the Chinese intelligentsia.
Citing Sikkim as a precedent, a write up posted in the popular micro-blogging site WeChat, is alleging that the India’s decision to move troops into the Doklam plateau, is part of New Delhi’s bid to “surround” Tibet, with Nepal and Bhutan as its partners.

The blog titled Fengye Kun points out that India’s so-called encirclement of Tibet began first with Sikkim’s “annexation” in 1975.

The standoff at Doklam, which has Bhutan as the focus, is therefore an extension of New Delhi’s Himalayan grand strategy.

“If China cannot have the firm and effective plan to cope with this standoff (in Doklam), India will for sure go further. At the same time Bhutan will succumb further to India’s so called protection. India’s next target will be Nepal, so it can surround Tibet,” says the blog.

The posting-apparently the Chinese social media’s comeback to India’s popular String of Pearls or “encirclement by Beijing” theory-- underscores that the prolongation of the Doklam faceoff can undermine Bhutan’s sovereignty. It stresses that that there is “every reason to worry that in view of its police, defence and security forces being long controlled by India, Bhutan will soon after become a second Sikkim, and emerge as an Indian state”.

Consequently, Bhutan “will be integrated with Arunachal Pradesh”. “If that happens, the middle and eastern part of the China-India border will be completely connected.”

The expansive, if not fanciful interpretation of contemporary history, is not without its critics in the Chinese intelligentsia. In his WeChat blog, Mao Siwei, China’s former Consul General in Kolkata, countered the assumptions undergirding the blog’s argument. He points out that India has long settled the question of Tibet. “The problem that Tibet belonged to China was resolved in 1954 through a consultative agreement. Besides, in the joint statement issued during the 2003 visit of former Indian Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to China, India explicitly acknowledged that the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) was part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), reiterating that no Tibetans should or are allowed to conduct anti-China political activities in India.”

Mr. Mao highlighted that the Mr. Vajpayee’s 2003 visit which yielded a border trade agreement linking Sikkim with TAR, sealed the bilateral understanding between the two countries on Tibet and Sikkim.

The Fengye Kun blog explained why China could not thwart Sikkim’s merger with India, as part of Tibet’s purported encirclement.

The write-up explains that the preoccupation of China with the Cultural Revolution in the seventies, marked by serious turbulence in the top-leadership, diverted it from taking any action on Sikkim.

On the contrary, India, flushed with the victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, followed up the change in its eastern border, with a plan to change in the status quo on its frontier with China, in Sikkim. “India

after the third India and Pakistan war, in 1971 following its victory, made a decision to annex Sikkim, and made all kinds of preparation to achieve this goal in the following two years.”

On the contrary China, in September 1971, experienced the Lin Biao affair, says the blog, referring to the controversial plane crash in Mongolia of Lin Biao, in his apparent attempt to flee Maoist China.

“China had no attention to spare for Pakistan, leave alone for Sikkim,” says the posting. It adds: “On May 18 1974, India conducted its first nuclear test in the Rajasthan desert and the success of the trial fueled Indian people’s confidence.”

The blog attributes India’s decision on the Sikkim merger with the enduring strategic importance of the Siliguri corridor-the narrow passage that links the Northeast with the rest of India.

“The narrowest part of the Siliguri corridor measures only 22.5 kilometers. It is called India’s chicken’s neck; which means that once cut, the mainland India would be separated from the rest of the

northeast states.” “To a large degree, the Silguri corridor has the strategic importance of keeping India’s territorial integrity.”

Sikkim’s integration therefore expanded India’s “strategic space” around the Siliguri corridor. Besides, merger with India broke the geographic contiguity of Nepal and Bhutan, with Sikkim as an independent state, with major security implications.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/630030/more-doklam-like-incidents-possible.html

China is attempting to "change the status quo" on its border with India and incidents like the ongoing stand-off in the Doklam area are likely to "increase" in future, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said today.

"The recent stand-off in the Doklam plateau by the Chinese side attempting to change the status quo are issues which we need to be wary about, and I think such kind of incidents are likely to increase in the future," Rawat said.

He was delivering the General B C Joshi Memorial Lecture on 'India's Challenges in the Current Geo-Strategic Construct' organised by the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies of Savitribai Phule Pune University here this evening.

"Pockets of dispute and contested claims to the territory continue to exist. These are due to differing perceptions on the alignments of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

"Transgressions across Line of Actual Control do happen and sometimes they do lead to some kind of misunderstanding between the forward troops...however, we do have joint mechanisms in place to address such situations," said Rawat.

He said that during the flag meetings with Chinese counterparts, the Indian Army keeps insisting that both sides should return to the pre-June 16 positions (before the stand- off began), but no resolution has been found yet.

"Now it is happening at the diplomatic and political level, as it needs to be resolved diplomatically and through political initiatives," he said.

Chinese armed forces have made significant progress in capabilities for mobilisation, application and sustenance of operations, particularly in the Tibet autonomous region of China, he noted.

"This is due to the development of force infrastructure of military significance. Their force reorganisation along with developing capabilities in space and network-centric warfare is likely to provide them greater synergy in force application," Rawat said.

Later, speaking to reporters and explaining his statement that incidents like Doklam are likely to "increase", Rawat said, "We should not be complacent. Let us say that this stand-off is resolved, but our troops should not feel that it can not happen again in different sector.

"It is always better to be prepared and alert than think that this will not happen again. So my message to troops is that do not let your guard down," the Army Chief added. China continues to enhance its influence in the regional security environment, he said.

"It is doing so by increasing defence and economic partnerships in the neighbourhood, especially in Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing through Azad Kashmir (Azad Kashmir) challenges India's sovereignty," he stated.

Confirmation for annual joint military exercises with China is still awaited this year, he said. "We have been doing the exercise every year. One year our team goes to China and on the second year, their team comes to us. While this time the exercise is planned in October, it is not being confirmed (from their side) yet, whether it will take place or not," he said.

Asked if the ongoing stand-off was the reason for this, Rawat said, "It could be, but we are not sure."
Rawat slammed Pakistan for waging a proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir and said the increasing presence of transnational actors with fundamental ideologies in that country is a matter of grave concern.

"Pakistan's unabated reliance and support to Jihadi groups have serious ramifications. This can lead to the possibility of Pakistan being a conduit for the eastward spread of fundamentalist and the Islamic ideology. This lends a complex dimension to the threat not only for us, but also for other countries of South and East Asia, including China," Rawat said.

The Army Chief refused to comment on Lt Col Prasad Purohit, who recently got bail in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, saying the issue is before the courts.

 

[ashok321]

'Iron friend'

Friendship with China the cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy: Ambassador

Monday marks Pakistan's 70th anniversary. And China and Pakistan have enjoyed a strong relationship for more than 65 of those years. Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Bozun spoke to the Pakistani Ambassador to China, Masood Khalid, ahead of the celebration to discuss the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and bilateral relations.

GT: Security issues have always been considered major challenges to implementing the CPEC. What security measures have the Pakistani government taken?

Khalid: Roughly 30,000 Chinese work in Pakistan. It's the responsibility of the Pakistani government to provide requisite security protection. As such, the Pakistani government has raised a special force including more than 15,000 soldiers who provide security to Chinese working on CPEC projects throughout Pakistan. In addition, our four provinces are raising their own protection forces. As said, we will continue to do our bit and make security improvements. At large, I think Pakistan's security situation has improved.

In the last two years, we have cracked down on terrorism, militants and their outlets in Pakistan to a great extent. If you look at the figures, you will find terrorist incidents in Pakistan have been considerably reduced.

GT: Besides security issues, what other challenges are there?

Khalid: All mega-projects face challenges. Challenges come naturally. The Belt and Road initiative is a big initiative involving nearly a hundred countries and has to pass through many different countries, territories, cultures, systems, economies and taxation regimes. These could be considered challenges.

But I think the larger picture should be kept in mind: This initiative is for the greater good of humanity of the global community and of the participating countries.

There are similar challenges with the CPEC. In 2013, when Premier Li Keqiang visited Pakistan, both countries decided to launch the CPEC.

But after that, both sides had to undergo long sessions with experts and officials, which took about two years in order to reach consensus. We discussed how to implement the plan, how to finance it and how to translate it into reality … You can say this was challenging.

Principally, we divided the corridor into four main cooperation areas: energy, infrastructure, Gwadar Port development and industrial park and economic zone establishment. Alongside, we also worked on educational and cultural corridors to promote people-to-people connection.

GT: We have heard there are debates in Pakistan regarding which provinces should participate in the CPEC and how it should be implemented. Can you talk about these debates?

Khalid: Debate is a natural thing in the democratic and political system we have in Pakistan. But I don't think it's a cause for concern.

There are provinces which need development more than others, such as Balochistan, so they are keen on the benefits of the project. But all provinces will benefit.

GT: Pakistan has just elected a new prime minister. In your opinion, how might the leadership change impact CPEC and China-Pakistan relations?

Khalid: There is no change in policy. There is a new prime minister, but the Pakistan Muslim League is the same ruling party. The new PM has clearly stated that the projects will continue and increase. So there is no doubt or ambiguity on that account.

GT: More Chinese companies are becoming interested in making investments in Pakistan. What is the size of the investments, and what sectors are firms most interested in?

Khalid: A figure released last year in Pakistan showed Chinese investment in 2016 was more than $1.8 billion, which will continue to grow.

But if you put everything together, the cumulative investment figure crosses more than $50 billion, but this depends on when projects start and finish. Currently, projects starting in different sectors could be worth around $45 billion.

Their investments are primarily in energy and infrastructure. But now, there is a trend of small and medium-sized Chinese enterprises in textile, cement, energy and food sectors emerging in Pakistan - we offer a good market for these areas.

GT: What advice do you have for those companies?

Khalid: I would like to advise that they seriously look at Pakistan's entire market potential.

Firstly, consider our geographical location of being near the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.

The concept behind the CPEC is linking Gwadar with Kashgar, enabling Chinese exports to go straight through Pakistan to Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa and with lower cost and shorter time.

Secondly, Pakistan is rich in natural resources, which remain untapped. Labor is at low cost and more Pakistanis are learning Chinese.

Also, incentives, facilities and tax exemptions are granted by the Pakistani government to foreign investors.

If you combine these factors, I think Pakistan offers good business environments for Chinese.

GT: There has been an increasingly popular buzzword, "Batie," which describes the unique relationship between China and Pakistan. What do you think of this Chinese expression?

Khalid: This is a beautiful word. Friendship with China is the cornerstone of our foreign policy. We are close friends, strategic partners, and this friendship has evolved over the last 65 years. In fact, our cooperation is growing, which is a positive sign for the two countries.

There is mutual respect and mutual interest. We believe that our friendship is true, selfless and kind and has withstood the test of both good and bad times.

For example, in 2005, Pakistan was hit by a big earthquake. Subsequently, freights appeared from China to give help and assistance. After the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, Pakistanis and the government helped our Chinese friends.

These examples signify that, if China is in need, Pakistan is there to help in whatever way we can, and vice versa.

So I truly respect the definition of "Batie," it means "iron friend." I think we have established a good foundation for our bilateral relations. Our friendship will grow as we move along.

Photo: Coutesy of the Embassy of Pakistan



GT: What message would you like to send to China on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Pakistan?

Khalid: The 70th anniversary is important to Pakistan. It's a developing country and has faced many challenges, but it has overcome past challenges successfully.

We highly value our relationship with our friends. Pakistan and China serve for regional peace and stability. We welcome our Chinese guests on this occasion and a strong message of unity will be sent to the world.
GT: Some Indian media outlets have published a map of China that excluded Tibet and Taiwan and also suggested that China is working with Pakistan to corner India. What is your comment on that?

Khalid: We also suffer from this mischief by the Indian media from time to time, it's unfortunate.

I think the entire world recognizes Taiwan and Tibet are part of China. I don't think stirring controversy is the right approach because this causes instability within bilateral relations and also in the region.

The Pakistan-China relationship is not against anyone; it is for peace, progress, stability and regional development. Peaceful co-existence is our mutual policy. But if a neighbor is aggressive, we, as sovereign states, must defend our territories.

 

[Hindustani78]

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat in Pune on Saturday.(Rahul Raut/HT Photo)
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...chief-rawat/story-U2zhBGoGF9TrIgNvdd40FI.html

China is attempting to “change the status quo” on its border with India and incidents like the ongoing stand-off in the Doklam area are likely to “increase” in future, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said on Saturday.

“The recent stand-off in the Doklam plateau by the Chinese side attempting to change the status quo are issues which we need to be wary about, and I think such kind of incidents are likely to increase in the future,” Rawat said.

He was delivering the General BC Joshi Memorial Lecture on ‘India’s Challenges in the Current Geo-Strategic Construct’ organised by the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies of Savitribai Phule Pune University here this evening.

“Pockets of dispute and contested claims to the territory continue to exist. These are due to differing perceptions on the alignments of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“Transgressions across Line of Actual Control do happen and sometimes they do lead to some kind of misunderstanding between the forward troops...however, we do have joint mechanisms in place to address such situations,” said Rawat.

He said that during the flag meetings with Chinese counterparts, the Indian Army keeps insisting that both sides should return to the pre-June 16 positions (before the stand- off began), but no resolution has been found yet.

“Now it is happening at the diplomatic and political level, as it needs to be resolved diplomatically and through political initiatives,” he said.

Chinese armed forces have made significant progress in capabilities for mobilisation, application and sustenance of operations, particularly in the Tibet autonomous region of China, he noted.

“This is due to the development of force infrastructure of military significance. Their force reorganisation along with developing capabilities in space and network-centric warfare is likely to provide them greater synergy in force application,” Rawat said.

Later, speaking to reporters and explaining his statement that incidents like Doklam are likely to “increase”, Rawat said, “We should not be complacent. Let us say that this stand-off is resolved, but our troops should not feel that it can not happen again in different sector.

“It is always better to be prepared and alert than think that this will not happen again. So my message to troops is that do not let your guard down,” the Army Chief added.

China continues to enhance its influence in the regional security environment, he said.

“It is doing so by increasing defence and economic partnerships in the neighbourhood, especially in Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing through Azad Kashmir (Azad Kashmir) challenges India’s sovereignty,” he stated.

Confirmation for annual joint military exercises with China is still awaited this year, he said.

“We have been doing the exercise every year. One year our team goes to China and on the second year, their team comes to us. While this time the exercise is planned in October, it is not being confirmed (from their side) yet, whether it will take place or not,” he said.

Asked if the ongoing stand-off was the reason for this, Rawat said, “It could be, but we are not sure.”

Rawat slammed Pakistan for waging a proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir and said the increasing presence of transnational actors with fundamental ideologies in that country is a matter of grave concern.

“Pakistan’s unabated reliance and support to Jihadi groups have serious ramifications. This can lead to the possibility of Pakistan being a conduit for the eastward spread of fundamentalist and the Islamic ideology. This lends a complex dimension to the threat not only for us, but also for other countries of South and East Asia, including China,” Rawat said.

The Army Chief refused to comment on Lt Col Prasad Purohit, who recently got bail in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, saying the issue is before the courts.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...e-at-doklam/article19575154.ece?homepage=true

August 28, 2017 12:18 IST
Updated: August 28, 2017 14:38 IST

However, Chinese troops will "continue to patrol in Doklam in the Sikkim sector” in a sign of “sovereignty over the region,” says a report from Beijing.

An official statement said the step was taken after rounds of bilateral discussions through diplomatic channels, even as reports from Beijing indicated that India has withdrawn unilaterally.

“In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam. During these communications, we were able to express our views and convey our concerns and interests. On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is on-going,” said the MEA in a press statement titled “Doklam Disengagement Understanding,” the statement said.

Though the statement indicates that the withdrawal is mutually agreed, it is still unclear if the Chinese troops are reciprocating India’s disengagement move.

However, a flash from the Chinese official news agency, Xinhua, announced that India has begun withdrawal of its troops.

Another report from Beijing said the Chinese troops will "continue to patrol in Doklam in the Sikkim sector” in a sign of “sovereignty over the region”.

The stand-off began in the the first fortnight of June when China began extending a motorable road on the Doklam plateau that is claimed by both Bhutan and China.

Defence sources confirmed the MEA’s announcement, saying: “Disengagement agreed to; disengagement is in progress.”

India has been maintaining military presence on the plateau ever since June, prompting a belligerent rhetoric from China. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval travelled to China in July and held talks with Chinese officials on the sidelines of the meeting of the National Security Advisors of BRICS. However, Monday’s announcement is the first time India is confirming a de-escalation.

China had indicated at Indian troops reduction in the standoff in July, but the MEA had refused to confirm that report.

***********
http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...-deployment/article19575978.ece?homepage=true

In this August 11, 2017 photo, exiled Tibetans shout slogans during a protest in New Delhi to show support to India on the Doklam tensions. Diplomacy has since defused the deadlock, which threatened to snowball into a war between the two powerful neighbours imperilling regional peace. | Photo Credit: AP


As part of the border deal, consequent to Indian troops leaving the plateau.
Without referring to an agreement on a two-way pullback, China on Monday confirmed that Indian troops had left Doklam plateau, following which Chinese troops would make “necessary adjustment” to troop deployments in the Doklam area.

“I have made myself clear that Indian side has pulled back all its personnel and equipment to the Indian side of the boundary. In the light of the changes of the situation, on the ground, China will make necessary adjustment and deployment(s),” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in response to a question.

Chinese troops will patrol area
Without going into specifics regarding troop numbers and other details, Ms. Hua said that “Chinese border troops continue to patrol in the Donglang area,” referring to the Chinese name for the Doklam plateau.

The spokesperson, however maintained that China exercised “sovereignty” in the Doklam area, implying that Beijing, so far, did not consider the area of the face-off as a disputed tri-junction point among China, India and Bhutan.

Besides, the Foreign Ministry reiterated the relevance of “historical conventions,” — a veiled reference to the 1890 convention between Britain and China that delineates the boundary in the Sikkim sector — as the basis of for the “exercise of sovereignty,” in the area.

Ms. Hua also said that “China is happy over the Indian withdrawal.” She added that the “peaceful settlement serves [the interest] of both sides.”

Unilateral Indian pullback
A Chinese academic who did not wish to be named said that any acceptance of a formulation of a “mutual pullback,” would not have gone down well at home in China. “It would have been seen as backtracking from the official Chinese position demanding a unilateral Indian withdrawal as the pre-condition for talks.”

As of now, the end of the three-month-long Doklam crisis is being cautiously welcomed, especially as it opens to the door for a “constructive engagement” between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the upcoming BRICS summit in Xiamen on September 3.

“This is good news for the bilateral relations and BRICS. It means both governments are still keen on maintaining peace,” says Hu Shisheng, Director at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told The Hindu.

‘Fallout: positive bilateral ties’
Referring to the larger implications of positive China-India ties, he pointed out that “peace between China and India not only benefits the two peoples but the larger international community.”

The end of the standoff has also sent positive vibes in sections of the business community, with a growing engagement with India.

“The end of the standoff reflects the political wisdom of both governments. It will indeed provide a healthy environment for the forthcoming cooperation between China and India. It will also pave the way for a good and sound summit at Xiamen,” says Jonathan Liu, executive director on India at the Sichuan chamber of International commerce, in a conversation with The Hindu.

Diplomacy defused deadlock
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy, a research associate at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, that officials from both sides had worked hard to defuse the tensions.

“The diplomatic channels were open throughout,” Mr. Chaturvedy said. “Withdrawing troops will ease some tension and will provide room for both leaders at the BRICS [summit].”

 

[Hindustani78]

************
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...-with-china/story-xybEpTjdsyFbobAjrf8yEN.html

China accused India of preventing its soldiers from building a road and adopted an aggressive stand while even warning of war. Bhutan and India maintain Doklam, or Donglang as the Chinese call it, is a Bhutanese territory.
india Updated: Aug 28, 2017 20:53 IST

Jayanth Jacob and Sutirtho Patranobis
Hindustan Times, New Delhi/Beijing

India said on Monday it had agreed with China to pull back troops to end a months-long face-off along a disputed Himalayan region, with reports from Doklam suggesting Beijing has halted work on a road that triggered the row.

The decision put a lid on one of the most serious disputes between the nuclear-armed neighbours who share a 3,500-km mountain frontier that remains undemarcated in most places. It came days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to China to attend a summit of BRICS, a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa.

A brief statement issued by external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Monday evening said the “expeditious disengagement of border personnel” that both sides had agreed on had “been almost completed under verification”.

Without giving details of the disengagement, New Delhi said the two sides had diplomatic exchanges in recent weeks over the situation on Doklam plateau in the eastern Himalayas that allowed them “to express our views and convey our concerns and interests”.

Neither side spoke officially on the status of the road whose construction by Chinese troops had triggered the standoff in mid-June, but sources said the area had been “almost cleared” and bulldozers had been sent back. Some equipment was still to be cleared because of logistical issues on the Chinese side, the sources said.

This was seen as an indication that China might not press on with the construction of the road for now. India had said the road would alter the status quo in the region and have serious security implications.

Soon after India announced the disengagement, the Chinese foreign ministry said “Chinese personnel on the ground have verified” that Indian forces withdrew to their side of the border on Monday afternoon.

“In the light of the changes of the situation on the ground, China will make necessary adjustment and deployment,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.

Chinese forces will continue to patrol Doklam - a region disputed between Bhutan and China - to exercise the country’s sovereignty and uphold territorial integrity, she said.

Sources said the disengagement was based on the premise that China “will not go further” on road construction. The negotiations to end the standoff were held at high levels of the two governments and monitored by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and foreign secretary S Jaishankar. The army chief and eastern area commander also played a key role.

Spokesperson Kumar noted that the two sides had agreed on the margins of the SCO Summit in June that “differences should not be allowed to become disputes and that India-China relations must remain stable”.

“Our principled position is that agreements and understandings reached on boundary issues must be scrupulously respected,” he added.

India says any construction in the region will violate a 2012 agreement with China that all border disputes involving a country such as Bhutan will have to be settled trilaterally.

India does not claim Doklam for itself but is closely allied with Bhutan, which it regards as a buffer against China. The plateau is strategically significant because it gives China access to the so-called “chicken’s neck”, a thin strip of land connecting India’s northeastern states to the rest of the country.

Trouble began when Chinese soldiers began extending a road through Doklam, known as Donglang in Chinese. India deployed troops to stop the construction, prompting Beijing to accuse it of trespassing. It warned that the impasse could lead to a wider military confrontation.

Its state-controlled media also launched an aggressive PR campaign against India.

Tensions were further inflamed when Indian and Chinese soldiers fought with stones and sticks near the Pangong lake in Ladakh sector earlier this month.

***********
http://www.hindustantimes.com/world...e-face-offs/story-7ZTqnpteZicO6uQyWgqzZO.html

Chinese academics have cautiously welcomed the resolution of the two-month-long military standoff with India in the Donglang (Doklam) region near the Sikkim border, with one expert warning that the pullback of troops is just a temporary solution.

“It may be just a pause. I don’t think it is over,” a South Asian authority with a leading Chinese think-tank told Hindustan Times on Monday.

“There continues to be a big gap between the two countries on the issue,” the academic said, referring to the differences in perception of the strategic China-India-Bhutan tri-junction, close to where the standoff began in mid-June.

The disengagement of troops began on Monday, with no clarity yet on whether China will stop building a road in an area controlled by Beijing but claimed by Thimphu. Indian troops acted in coordination with the Bhutan government to block the construction of the road, with New Delhi saying it would alter the status quo.

“I don’t think China would have stopped building the road,” the academic said, indicating potential conflicts of similar nature in the future. According to the expert, the details of the agreement to defuse the situation would be the key to whether the impasse has actually been resolved.

The academic’s argument centred on the fact that India and China have a 3,500-km boundary dispute, divided into the western, middle and eastern sectors — Beijing’s argument in the current standoff was that India had “illegally trespassed” into Chinese territory because the Sikkim boundary had been decided in an 1890 treaty with the British Indian government.

Other experts were more optimistic.

“It is very good news,” said Long Xingchun, director of the Center for Indian Studies at China West Normal University.

Wang Dehua from the Shanghai Municipal Centre for International Studies told Hindustan Times: “This (resolution) has created a good atmosphere for both countries to resolve problems left over from history. Historical problems can be solved through dialogue.

“This will prevent China and India from confronting each other. The unity of the two nations will upgrade the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) mechanisms,” Wang said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China, next week. India became a member of the China-led SCO in June, days before the standoff began.

Wang was among the many Chinese experts who had made aggressive statements against India during the standoff. His turn of opinion could be an indicator that the aggressive posturing by most experts would now be toned down.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...n-in-doklam/article19581244.ece?homepage=true


“We will take into consideration all factors, including weather, to make relevant construction plans according to situations on ground,” says foreign ministry spokesperson in Beijing.
The Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday sidestepped the issue of road construction in the Doklam plateau, which had triggered the stand-off with India.

In response to a question whether China has halted the construction of a road in the Doklam plateau, ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “Chinese border troops continue to be stationed and patrol in order to meet the needs of defending our borders and improving living conditions.”

She added, “We will take into consideration all factors, including weather, to make relevant construction plans according to situations on ground.”

The stand-off in the Doklam plateauwas triggered by China’s attempt to build a road in the area that may threaten the Siliguri corridor — the narrow passage that links the Northeast with the rest of India.

Ms. Hua said Indian border personnel and equipment “have all pulled backto Indian side”.

Separately, in an email response to The Hindu, former China’s Consul General to India Mao Siwei said that “judging from experience and common knowledge, both sides will highly likely reach consensus very soon”.

He added: “First in principle China will suspend building the road and Indian troops would withdraw.” Specifically on the sequence of disengagement he underscored that, “In terms of timing, India will withdraw first and China will follow after that.”

“This is a wise choice made by the two top leaders facing tremendous extreme nationalist sentiments in both countries. China gave up the choice of war and stepped back to gain more. India decided to attend the BRICS and continue maintain normal relations with China,” observed Mr. Mao.

***********
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-navy-chief/article19580018.ece?homepage=true
Admiral Sunil Lanba was speaking at a seminar on "social media and the armed forces"

India's media campaign of maintaining silence during the Doklam standoff with China has worked for us, said Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Tuesday.

"They [Chinese] have used a media campaign where they have been shrill in their comments. We have used it in a different way, where we kept quiet. It has worked for us," Adm Lanba said in response to questions from the media on the sidelines of a seminar on "social media and the armed forces" organised by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies.

However, Adm Lanba declined to comment on the standoff that had just ended and referred to the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

On Monday, India and China announced disengagement from the standoff site, ending the 73-day standoff at Doklam near the India-Bhutan-China trijunction after diplomatic parleys.

The move came a week before the BRICS summit in China where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend.



************
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/doklams-will-recur-warn-army-officials/article19576835.ece

They favour forging a more robust border management mechanism between India and China.
The Doklam imbroglio may have been resolved peacefully after 73 days, but sources in the military warn that India and China will witness such standoffs more frequently now, unless a more robust border management mechanism is put in place.

The sources on Monday indicated that they had minimal role in securing the bilateral understanding involving withdrawal of Indian troops and China stopping the road construction. The Defence Ministry and the Army maintained silence over the withdrawal, leaving all the public communication to the Ministry of External Affairs.

“Disengagement has been agreed to. It is in progress,” an Army source said on Monday but declined to elaborate.

Rawat’s view

The withdrawal comes two days after Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat warned that standoffs with China are likely to increase in future. “The recent standoff in the Doklam plateau by the Chinese side attempting to change the status quo are issues which we need to be wary about, and I think such kind of incidents are likely to increase in the future,” he said. “Pockets of dispute and contested claims to the territory continue to exist. These are due to differing perceptions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).”

**********

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bhutan-welcomes-end-of-dokalam-standoff/article19580373.ece

A file photo of the Nathu La pass border in north Sikkim. Face-off between Indian and Chinese troops along the India-China border led to the cancellation of the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

Bhutan on Tuesday welcomed the end of the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Dokalam and hoped it would help in ensuring peace and tranquillity at the tri-junction.

“Bhutan welcomes the disengagement by the two sides at the face-off site in the Doklam area,” the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

In a major diplomatic breakthrough to end the prolonged standoff between their troops, India and China, on August 28, disengaged their border personnel at Dokalam.

“We hope this contributes to the maintenance of peace and tranquillity and status quo along the borders of Bhutan, China and India in keeping with the existing agreements between the respective countries,” the Bhutanese foreign ministry said.

Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the disputed area. India had deployed about 350 Army personnel in the area.

Bhutan and China have a dispute over Dokalam, a strategically key area at the Bhutan-India-China tri-junction in the Sikkim sector.

***************
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-maintained-great-dignity-bjp/article19582179.ece

‘Not to get provoked is way forward’
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav has termed the end of the Doklam standoff between India and China reflective of a mature diplomatic route to resolution backed by a firm ground position followed by the Indian government.

“India has maintained great dignity, grace and majesty and tried to handle it in a diplomatic manner. Both have decided to step back. At the same time, we maintained firm ground position. It is a combination of firm ground position and mature diplomatic endeavour,” he said.

“All of us should compliment the Indian government and agencies for their restraint and mature handling of the situation, not to get provoked. Largely Indian media also has not got into the trap of provocation and counter provocations. That has certainly helped the situation,” he added.

He said that the way forward also lay in this direction, “not to get provoked, focus, firmness on the ground and efforts through diplomatic manoeuvres. At least for this government that is the way forward.”

Taken aback

Mr. Ram Madhav also said that he was taken aback by the aggression of the Chinese and that country’s media over the issue. “The kind of aggressive propaganda that we have experienced in last several weeks ever since the standoff happened in Doklam is a bit unusual. It was a bit unexpected. I was also a little bit surprised by the aggression and the very highly provocative nature of the campaign from the Chinese side, mainly from the Chinese media and the social media. Not so much from their government side except from their spokespersons,” he said.

Modi’s visit

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming trip to China for the BRICS meeting, he said that peace was a pre-requisite for good bilateral ties. India would continue to maintain peace.

Referring to Pakistan and its increasing closeness to China, he said, “Pakistan has already become a client state of China. It is not a new thing. Practically many things in Pakistan are dictated by their good friend China. That is between the two countries but when it comes to India’s interest, India will show required firmness. It will use required diplomatic channels to secure national interest,” he said, adding that India did not believe in hyphenation.

 

[Han Patriot]

LATEST NEWS

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-08/29/c_136565670.htm

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese border troops are continuing their patrolling and defending the Dong Lang (Doklam) area, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

"We will make an overall assessment of the weather conditions and all related factors, and according to the actual circumstances complete construction plans for the Dong Lang (Doklam) area," spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing.

On June 18, over 270 armed Indian troops with two bulldozers crossed the boundary into Dong Lang (Doklam), Chinese sovereign territory, to obstruct infrastructure construction.

China Monday confirmed that India had withdrawn personnel and equipment from Dong Lang (Doklam) after a military stand-off lasting more than two months.

Dong Lang (Doklam), which borders India's Sikkim state to the west and the Kingdom of Bhutan to the south, is part of Chinese territory and has been under Chinese rule for a very long time.

Hua said for a long period of time, China has constructed infrastructure facilities including roads to meet the needs of soldiers and civilians, and improve their living conditions.

1) China did not withdraw
2) China will continue construction.



No wonder our Indian bhai are unusually quiet this morning.

GUYS, FROM NOW OWN INDIA SHALL BE KNOWN AS A COW WARD. We have proved to Bhutan, India is a paper cow.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...-doklam-china-tells-india/article19586167.ece

Foreign Minister Wang Yi says stand-off ended only after Indian forces pulled back
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesay said the 73-day stand-off between India and China in Doklam ended after India withdrew its troops, and hoped New Delhi will “learn lessons” (from the stand-off) and prevent such incidents in future.

Both countries withdrew their troops just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China to attend the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit from September 3 to 5.

“Face-off due to Indian trespassing”
“The border face-off caused by Indian trespassing has been settled,” Mr. Wang told the media in Beijing, while answering a question from the Chinese media reports that India withdrew its troops to provide a face-saver for China after reaching a settlement.

''Media may have carried speculation and reports but as per the 'authoritative information' with the Chinese government, Indian troops have withdrawn from the area in the afternoon of August 28, which 'brought the face-off to an end',” he said.

“That is a basic fact and of course, we hope that the Indian side will learn lessons from this incident and prevent similar things from happening again,” he said.

MEA mum on remarks
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) did not immediately comment on the Chinese Minister’s remarks.

Troops of the two countries had been lin a stand-off isince June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the strategically key region, a disputed area between China and Bhutan.

The construction of the road could give China a major military advantage over India at the Bhutan-China-India tri-junction.

“Problems are but natural”
Mr. Wang, who was addressing a press conference on the BRICS summit to be held in Xiamen city next week, said:

“India and China are two big countries. It is natural that there are some problems in our interactions.

“What is important is that we put these differences at appropriate place and under the principle of mutual respect and following the consensus of our leaders, we need to handle and manage them properly.

“In the meantime, with our engagement through different mechanisms we need to work out a solution in the long run.”

Mr. Wang evaded a direct reply to whether there will be a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping.

“There will be bilateral meetings and interactions between the participating leaders which is natural practice,” he said.

India on Tuesday announced that Mr. Modi will take part in the summit.

“On the sidelines of the BRICS meeting, Xi will also have meetings with some leaders upon their request. Once relevant arrangements are decided, we will let you know. The first thing is whether the leaders will have the willingness to meet. If there is willingness of the leaders participating in the meeting, as a host, the Chinese side will try to make it possible if our schedule programme permits,” Mr. Wang said.

Ironing out the wrinkles
“We hope through the efforts of both sides we will maintain the healthy and stable momentum of growth for China-India relations” in the interest of Chinese and Indian people as well as meeting the aspirations of the international community and neighbouring countries.

Mr. Wang said there was huge potential and space for greater cooperation between China and India and such cooperation served the interest of both countries.

“We hope China and India will join hands and work together for rejuvenation of Asia and for the development of our region and contribute our share to greater development,” he said.

**********

Press Trust of India, Beijing, Aug 30 2017, 15:31 IST

In picture: former Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha. Photo credit: ANI
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/630555/indias-refusal-budge-dokalam-resonate.html

India's refusal to back off from Dokalam standoff despite heavy pressure mounted by China will have a wider resonance in the region against Beijing's assertive behaviour, former Indian Ambassador to China Ashok Kantha said.

India and China on Monday ended their standoff in Dokalam by withdrawing their troops from the area. Troops of the two countries had been locked in a standoff in Dokalam since June 16 after Indian troops stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the strategically key Dokalam region, a disputed area between China and Bhutan.

"The way India dealt with Dokalam standoff has wider resonance. Because what the Chinese are trying to do in Dokalam is part of a larger pattern," Kantha, who served as India's envoy here from 2013 to January last year, told PTI in a wide ranging interview on the Dokalam issue from Delhi over phone.

China is trying to achieve its contested territorial claims though unilateral actions like the disputed South China Sea, where smaller states have accepted Beijing expansive territorial claims as a "new normal".

"But that did not happen in Dokalam. India and Bhutan did not follow the script, so China has to back off and revisit their position," Kantha, now Director of a New Delhi-based think tank, the Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), said.

"If India succumbed to Chinese pressure, it would have made it even more difficult for China's smaller neighbours to stand up. It would have undermined India's credibility, first in Bhutan and other South Asian neighbours," he said.

"How we dealt with it definitely has resonance in terms of encouraging greater pushback in the region to China's assertive behaviour. This also may lead to some introspection on the part of China, specially why the rise of China and its behaviour is creating anxieties among its neighbours”, he said.

Both India and Bhutan challenged changing facts on the ground catching China by surprise, while showing restraint on the ground, he said.

Also, India "very deliberately and consciously made an effort not to indulge in tit for tat polemics as only through a quiet diplomacy a solution can be found", he said.

Also, the assessment on the Indian side is that there was no real risk of war breaking out and war was not an option for either side including on the Chinese side so that there is space to convey our concerns and interests, he said.

"China also realised that finding resolution by taking recourse through force is really not an option.

Notwithstanding what they were saying, they had to find a diplomatic solution. Since India maintained a firm position, given the BRICS summit was around the corner, China didn't want it to be overshadowed by Dokalam standoff," he said.

While there will be greater clarity in the coming days about the understanding reached between India and China to end the 73-day standoff, India has achieved its objective to prevent China from building the road close to the narrow Chicken Neck connecting the North-Eastern states, he said.

"That was the provocation for Indian personnel to step into the area of standoff. The objective has been achieved and we have also managed to defuse the situation," without India yielding space he said.
Kantha said China also has shown flexibility after initial belligerence.

"Initially they said there has to be unilateral Indian withdrawal to enter into meaningful talks. They changed their position and agreed on mutual engagement, which has been achieved through bilateral understanding. Now they also indulged in war like rhetoric, but came around to accepting that the use of force is not an option for them," he said.

India on the contrary dealt with Dokalam in a more mature and sensible way.

Though both the countries have managed to defuse the current situation, Dokalam standoff has seriously affected the bilateral relations, he said.