India-China: On Same Page | Gist of Rajya Sabha TV / RSTV (now Sansad TV) - UPSC PDF Download

Context

Wang Yi, the foreign minister of China, conducted an unexpected visit to India to advance a number of multifaceted elements of India-China relations.

Overview

• As a result of the Chinese Foreign Minister's visit, numerous conclusions were reached on the border tensions between India and China as well as Beijing's attempts to delegitimize New Delhi internationally. The experts in international relations are baffled by this.
• Many people think that Chinese strategy is built on deception.
• The Indians, who are actively working to economically decouple from China by highlighting the lofty goals of Atma Nirbharta (self-reliance), are shocked and interested in unravelling the true motivations behind Wang Yi's visit.
• China emphasised its willingness to collaborate with India during the meeting, which opened the door for a query concerning China's level of trust.
• The Chinese side made the decision to strengthen BRICS and expand cooperation, according to the official remarks.
• India, however, has steadfastly emphasised the necessity for disengagement in eastern Ladakh while focusing on the subject of the boundary dispute. For a very long time, China has ignored this issue, and Wang Yi has been silent about it.

What is the present status of the standoff?

• Several military and diplomatic talks were held and the two sides completed the disengagement process on the north and south banks of Pangong Tso and in the Gogra area. 
• While troops are yet to disengage in the other two areas, the de-escalation process is unlikely to be completed. 
• The standoff remains unresolved with about 50,000 troops amassed on either side of the Line of Actual Control. 

Bone of contention: Wang’s comments on Kashmir

• While in Pakistan to assist the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, China's foreign minister made contentious remarks about the Kashmir conflict.
• India has responded by stating that Jammu & Kashmir-related issues are exclusively internal affairs and that it is hesitant to seek outside interference.

The Sign of Positivity

• The Chinese Foreign Minister's visit has served as a prime example of Beijing's efforts to thaw relations with India.
• It is thought that the next 14th BRICS conference, which China will host, could provide a possible window of opportunity to end the border deadlock.
• By resolving their issues, Wang Yi claimed that the visit had been successful and that both nations would no longer pose a threat to one another.

Possible Inferences

• The unannounced visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister has been inferred by observers as Beijing’s fear of diplomatic isolation due to its aggressive expansionist policies. 
• There are experts who call this visit China’s art of deception based on the principle of Sun Tzu such as “Ingyizha Li” which means war is a deception and the principle of Sheng-dong Ji Xi that says point to the east but attack the west. 
• China’s covert actions and agendas perfectly suit Deng Xiaoping’s dictum to hide their strengths and play for time. 
• India’s differences with the west on the issue of the Russia – Ukraine Conflict and India’s unswerving stand of not voting against Russia in the UN Security Council have been sensed by China. There is a possibility that China might look into this as an opportunity to deepen the anti-western sentiment across India catering to its own geopolitical interests. 
• As a result, there might be scope for China to diminish the strength of QUAD that involves India, the US, Japan and Australia. 
• There is an uncertainty pertaining to the extent to which the west is willing to go for India against a much more powerful China.

Ways for India

• As a key requirement for the restoration of normalcy in the India-China relationship, India must maintain its support for the complete departure of Chinese forces from the eastern Ladakh region.
• The BRICS Summit's claims that it will help to improve relations between the two nations were rejected by experts. Priority must be given to India's bilateral interests over accepting the invitation to the Summit.
• It was correctly noted that the QUAD grouping needs to be strengthened as a major tenet of our foreign policy taking into account the fact that India is in a challenging situation.
• A new wave of the epidemic is slowing down alongside China's booming economy. As a result, India now has a way to compete with China economically in a sustainable way.
• It is projected that India's security would rely on its successful integration into the global supply chain in the future days. Atmanirbhar Bharat and programmes like the Production Linked Incentive gain traction in this area.
• It would be unsustainable for China to continue its war with India, which aspires to become the world's manufacturing hub, given that its product exports have already reached a historic $400 billion.