“Why China retained Aksai Chin and gave up Southern Tibet?”
B.R. Deepak, C3S Paper No 739 dated February 21, 2011
(Remarks of Mr D S Rajan, Director, Chennai Centre for China Studies:
Given below is the English translation done by the writer, Prof. B R Deepak, of the contents of a Chinese language blog, last appeared at the website club.china.com/data/thread…/6_1.html dated 18 December 2010. The blog has been under the column ‘Military Observer’ of the website. The writer finds that it has already been in circulation for quite some time; it has been dispatched by the PLA Ground Forces Forum initially in mid 2009 and sometime in 2010 under a title “Next round of Sino-Indian War: China’s Armored Forces can overrun the heart of India within 24 hours”. The December 2010 write-up argues that Mao Zedongs’ decision to retain Aksai Chin and give up ‘Southern Tibet’ and Tawang was a wise move, for the geographical advantage of the former is far greater than the latter. Besides, it maintains that Pakistan is an important force in the containment of India, and China must support and protect Pakistan.
In our website, the CCCS has been bringing to the notice of the viewers similar ‘jingoistic’ articles in the Chinese language. It wishes to emphasize that the opinions expressed in the blog and those reported earlier, are from individuals and that it will not be appropriate to link these blogs either with the website, china.com or the Government of the PRC or the Chinese communist party. Important however is that at least some sections in the Chinese society are holding such views which are sensitive to Sino-Indian relations. The viewers are requested to understand the contents of the following in that context. )
Translation begins
Entire India is within the reach of medium-range firepower of China’s Second Artillery Force. To be blunt, if there is another round of war between China and India, the Chinese armored forces can over run the heart of India [New Delhi] within 24 hours. However, what stops the Chinese army from doing so?
..........................................
............................................