VINEET TRIPATHI
Last updated on December 1, 2010
The 14th round of high-level Sino-Indian diplomatic talks to resolve the Himalayan border issue ended in Beijing on November 30 with a joint pledge to "seek a fair and reasonable solution acceptable to both sides."
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that his country was “committed to resolving the border question through frank consultations with India. It is willing to make joint efforts with India to maintain peace and stability on the border.”
The talks, held in Beijing during Nov 29-3 were focused on finding a framework for a final settlement of disputed areas in the western and eastern sections of the border. The meeting was attended by Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and the Indian National Security Adviser and special representative on border talks, Shiv Shankar Menon.
China’s official newspaper Global Times said that the Chinese government’s position was that both countries “will take into consideration each other’s concerns, and work toward an equitable and justified settlement of border issues that is acceptable to both sides.” However, it quoted Zhao Gancheng, a leading Chinese strategist, as saying that “Indian activities near the border” and “remarks made by senior Indian officials who played up the China threat” had “harmed the chances” of reaching a quick resolution.
On the other hand, The Hindu on November 30 cited Indian officials as saying in an online report that a hardening of China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh meant the talks were likely to remain long drawn-out. Last year, China had voiced strong opposition to the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to the State. Nevertheless, Outlook in its e-issue of Nov 30 cited Menon, who held three rounds of talks with his Chinese counterpart, as saying that steady progress was being made with discussions focused on working out a framework to resolve the border dispute. It said Menon and Dai discussed the whole gamut of issues bedeviling the two countries, including the resumption of defense exchanges put on hold by India following denial of visa to a top Indian millitary official, B S Jaswal.
These talks had assumed a great degree of importance as they took place ahead of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to India starting December10. China’s recent activities on the eastern (Arunachal) border were expected to fuel a strong stand from the Indian delegate. The construction of a dozen dams on the Brahmaputra River by the Chinese, including the world’s largest dam in the Nyngtri perfecture just near the The Great Bend, where the Brahmputra enters India and its plan to divert its water to the North-eastern cities had created great mistrust and suspicion on the Indian side.
Also China’s plan to create a rail link till Nyngtri near the Arunachal border had raised Indian eyebrows. The two sides discussed unresolved disagreements including Chinese stapled visas to resident of Kashmir, India’s suspension of high-level defense exchanges and the Chinese footprint in infrastructure projects being implemented in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
China occupies part of Jammu and Kashmir region ceded to it by Pakistan. Besides, India alleges that China illegally occupies 43,000 square kilometers of land in Kashmir. China refuses to accept the McMohan line as the Sino-Indian border and lays claim to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh on the ground that it was once part of Tibet.
Showing posts with label The Great Bend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Great Bend. Show all posts
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
China flexes its arms yet again
Vineet Tripathi
Last updated on November 24, 2010 20:10 IST
The Chinese fling surprises in a manner that the world feels aghast. They are inured to a way of life that is clouded by clandestine and surreptitious activities defying proper comprehension. The latest Chinese moves vis-à-vis India are its designs of constructing rail link touching the contentious border area of Arunachal Pradesh and construction of the world’s biggest dam on the river Brahmputra.
Apart from developing rail links in Tibetan areas which includes extension of the Lhasa rail link to Xigage near Tibet’s border with Nepal, China is simultaneously working on bringing its rail link right up to Nyangtri- located on the border with Arunachal Pradesh and an area which China claims as its own. This assertiveness on the part of China is sufficient to raise the eyebrows of Indian officials.
Nyangtri is also the site where the Brahmaputra is proposed to be diverted northwards by the Chinese. China proposes to build the largest dam in the world at this spot. Brahmputra rises in Lake Mansarovar in Tibet and enters India through The Great Bend near Nyangtri. By building this dam, China plans to divert 200 billion cusec meters of water every year to the cities of north eastern region of Shaanxi, Hebei, Beijing and Tianjin.
The Great Bend is the place where the Brahmputra takes a decisive turn and flows towards India. China proposes to build as many as six dams in addition to a dozen it has already constructed. Experts fear that construction of a dam on the middle reaches of Brahmputra at Zangmo in China may slowly turn biodiversity rich Assam and Arunachal Pradesh into semi-arid areas and deplete the ground water table. It may be mentioned here that India does not have any water sharing treaty with China in contrast to Pakistan.
Strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney describes the rail link to Nyangtri as a significant new development. “The building of railways in this area is significant for two reasons: China’s plan to construct the world’s largest dam at this place and also because it will strengthen China’s rapid military deployment ability in the eastern (Arunachal) sector. These issues are likely to figure prominently during the visit of Chinese premier Wen Jia Bao to India in the mid of next month. (December)
China’s focus on expanding its railways south of Lhasa is alarming also because of the reports that for the first time earlier this year ‘combat readiness material’ meant for the Chinese air force was transported to the region through the Tibetan rail link. The Chinese army recently reported that China conducted its first major parachute exercise in Tibet to demonstrate its capability to rapidly deploy troops on the world’s highest plateau.
The two Asian giants have a history of border disputes and other contentious issues. The two countries had fought a war also in 1962 on the Arunachal border issue which India lost. The relations between these countries since then have been of mistrust and suspicion. Recently, China vetoed an aid from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to India for the development of Arunachal Pradesh.
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