China says India building up troops amid border stand off

[webfact]

China says India building up troops amid border stand off

By Ben Blanchard

 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, September 4, 2016. REUTERS/Wang Zhao/Pool

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry on Thursday said India has been building up troops and repairing roads along its side of the border amid an increasingly tense stand-off in a remote frontier region beside the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan.

 

The stand-off on a plateau next to the mountainous Indian state of Sikkim, which borders China, has ratcheted up tension between the neighbours, who share a 3,500-km (2,175-mile) frontier, large parts of which are disputed.

 

"It has already been more than a month since the incident, and India is still not only illegally remaining on Chinese territory, it is also repairing roads in the rear, stocking up supplies, massing a large number of armed personnel," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This is certainly not for peace."

 

India has denied any such military buildup and, in a statement to parliament on Thursday evening, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj urged dialogue based on a written common understanding regarding the border intersection reached in 2012.

 

"India always believes that peace and tranquillity in the India-China border is an important pre-requisite for smooth development of our bilateral relations," Swaraj said, according to a transcript of her remarks released by her office.

 

"We will continue to engage with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels to find a mutually acceptable solution."

 

Early in June, according to the Chinese interpretation of events, Indian guards crossed into China's Donglang region and obstructed work on a road on the plateau.

 

The two sides' troops then confronted each other close to a valley controlled by China that separates India from its close ally, Bhutan, and gives China access to the so-called Chicken's Neck, a thin strip of land connecting India and its remote northeastern regions.

 

India has said it warned China that construction of the road near their common border would have serious security implications.

 

In a separate statement, China's Defence Ministry said China had shown goodwill and that its forces had exercised utmost restraint, but warned "restraint has a bottom line" and that India must dispel any illusions.

 

"No country should underestimate the Chinese military's confidence in and ability to fulfil its mission of safeguarding peace, and should not underestimate the Chinese military's determination and will to defend the country's sovereignty, security and development interests," it said.

 

Despite China's numerous diplomatic representations, its foreign ministry said, India has not only not withdrawn its troops but has also been making "unreasonable demands" and is not sincere about a resolution.

 

"If India really cherishes peace, it ought to immediately withdraw its personnel who have illegally crossed the border into the Indian side."

 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to visit China early in September for a summit of BRICS leaders.

 

Indian officials say about 300 soldiers from either side are facing each other about 150 meters (yards) apart on the plateau.

 

They have told Reuters that both sides' diplomats have quietly engaged to try to keep the stand-off from escalating, and that India's ambassador to Beijing is leading the effort to find a way for both sides to back down without loss of face.

 

Chinese state media have warned India of a fate worse than the defeat it suffered in a brief border war in 1962.

 

China's military has held live fire drills close to the disputed area, and state television on Friday said more exercises had been conducted recently, though did not give an exact location.

 

The official China Daily said in a Friday editorial that China was not in the mood for a fight, noting how the stand off has been "unusually restrained".

 

"However, if good manners do not work, in the end, it may be necessary to rethink our approach. Sometimes a head-on blow may work better than a thousand pleas in waking up a dreamer," the English-language paper added.

 

 

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Douglas Busvine in NEW DELHI; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-04

[Golgota]

What China forgot to mention is they have started this feud by creating roads, encroaching into Buthan territory and breaking the balance of power which was in this area by increasing its troops.

China is furious India does not want anything to do with their One belt One road

[craigt3365]

So India is building up troops in contested areas just like China is in the South China Sea?  Too funny....

[Golgota]

1 minute ago, craigt3365 said:

So India is building up troops in contested areas just like China is in the South China Sea?  Too funny....

China is currently "probing" what it can do with its neighbours and how much it can abuse its current position. Only problem with this case is that both side news and opinion are increeasing their nationalistic rethorics and India is not the India from 20 years ago...China, by opening a military base in Pakistan is really not helping...

[terryw]

Clearly the Chinese are rattled by the behaviour of India. 

[Grouse]

Pity the USA no longer has any really clever statesmen. Great time to leverage support for India to pressure China against NK! Also indirectly back Irans new port with Indian support! These people never play RISK?

[craigt3365]

3 minutes ago, Grouse said:

Pity the USA no longer has any really clever statesmen. Great time to leverage support for India to pressure China against NK! Also indirectly back Irans new port with Indian support! These people never play RISK?

Kinda like this? LOL

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Game

Quote

"The Great Game" is a term used by historians to describe a political and diplomatic confrontation that existed for most of the nineteenth century between Britain and Russia over Afghanistan and neighbouring territories in Central and Southern Asia. Russia was fearful of British commercial and military inroads into Central Asia, and Britain was fearful of Russia adding "the jewel in the crown", India, to the vast empire that Russia was building in Asia. This resulted in an atmosphere of distrust and the constant threat of war between the two empires.^[1][2][3]

 

Sadly, for many, it's far from a game.  Lives are in the balance.

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

Pity the USA no longer has any really clever statesmen. Great time to leverage support for India to pressure China against NK! Also indirectly back Irans new port with Indian support! These people never play RISK?

Trump probably thinks India is still a British colony.

[phantomfiddler]

Nice to see the Chinese bullies getting a bit of their own medicine ! Hypocrisy is the worst crime.

[Grouse]

56 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Trump probably thinks India is still a British colony.

Isn't it? Outrageous!

[craigt3365]

56 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Trump probably thinks India is still a British colony.

And thinks Britain has an "armada"! LOL

[dogpatch55]

1 hour ago, Srikcir said:

Trump probably thinks India is still a British colony.

Trump does not think full  stop!!

[dogpatch55]

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Nice to see the Chinese bullies getting a bit of their own medicine ! Hypocrisy is the worst crime.

Yeah its about time!!

[Credo]

Any country bordering China has reason to be very worried.   China enjoys grabbing territory.   It's for sure their political system and culture has little appeal to many people.   

[boomerangutang]

A few days ago, I spoke with a few Indian guys, and this issue came up.  Naturally, they're v. annoyed at China's bullying.  I am also.   Every contested region involving China, has China as the belligerent.  

 

It's not enough that they're driving rhinos, big cats and bears to extinction in their misguided zeal to get hard-ons, .....they have to bully nearly every one of their neighbors with their territory grabs.  Aren't we about due for another massive Chinese famine?   In the 20th century, they had one about every 35 yrs.

[Morch]

7 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Trump probably thinks India is still a British colony.

 

Well...

 

Here’s the president talking about how surprised he is that some Asian countries are large

https://www.vox.com/world/2017/8/1/16079254/trump-asia-large

 

 

 

[bartender100]

7 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

And thinks Britain has an "armada"! LOL

Don't worry, if we need one we will soon build one, just as we have though history

[anon4546543]

Well, if China p%sse( off out of Tibet and... Say no more) China has no ethnic, cultural or religious claims to this land.

But it is strategic.I will say it again. This Land is Strategic.... 

[craigt3365]

4 hours ago, bartender100 said:

Don't worry, if we need one we will soon build one, just as we have though history

It was not meant in a bad way.  He previously mentioned the US had an "armada".  That's an outdated term, probably more relevant to Britain, Spain, Italy, etc, hundreds of years ago.  Today, the navy has a fleet.  Not an armada! LOL

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-usa-carrier-idUSKBN17L03J

Quote

As Trump warned North Korea, his 'armada' was headed toward Australia

 

[Thakkar]

14 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Trump probably thinks India is still a British colony.

"Trump probably thinks..."

 

Probably doesn't.

[tonbridgebrit]

17 hours ago, Grouse said:

Pity the USA no longer has any really clever statesmen. Great time to leverage support for India to pressure China against NK! Also indirectly back Irans new port with Indian support! These people never play RISK?

Well, the important thing is, is that America and NATO are not involved in a dispute between India and China.

[tonbridgebrit]

8 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

A few days ago, I spoke with a few Indian guys, and this issue came up.  Naturally, they're v. annoyed at China's bullying.  I am also.   Every contested region involving China, has China as the belligerent.  

 

It's not enough that they're driving rhinos, big cats and bears to extinction in their misguided zeal to get hard-ons, .....they have to bully nearly every one of their neighbors with their territory grabs.  Aren't we about due for another massive Chinese famine?   In the 20th century, they had one about every 35 yrs.

They're due for a famine in China ?  You're looking for the deaths of millions of people, as a solution to the Chinese 'problem' ?

The USA imports a mountain of cheap goods from China, this is done by Walmart. American farmers actually export a whole load of farm produce to China. One of the reasons why Trump is not slapping some serious taxes onto the Chinese imports, is because, China might reduce the food imports from America. I'm trying to say, China is able to produce and import a whole load of food. Stop hoping for the absurdity of mass starvation in China.

Edited August 5, 2017 by tonbridgebrit

[tonbridgebrit]

8 hours ago, Credo said:

Any country bordering China has reason to be very worried.   China enjoys grabbing territory.   It's for sure their political system and culture has little appeal to many people.   

And Thailand's ace card is, is that it does not share a border with China, that way, no need for a border dispute with China. But, but Thailand still gets the benefits of a flood of Chinese tourists. 

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

The big question is, when the PLA comes down the Mekong, does Thailand have enough 7-11s to offer essential supplies?

[craigt3365]

15 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

And Thailand's ace card is, is that it does not share a border with China, that way, no need for a border dispute with China. But, but Thailand still gets the benefits of a flood of Chinese tourists. 

Benefits?  Is that why they cancelled the zero cost tours and put the owners in jail?

 

Most feel the flood is far from a benefit.

[craigt3365]

25 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

Well, the important thing is, is that America and NATO are not involved in a dispute between India and China.

Why would NATO be involved?  India can stand up for themselves.  Plus, India is a huge arms importer.  From all the big players.  They'd tend to side with India, not China.

[tonbridgebrit]

58 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

Why would NATO be involved?  India can stand up for themselves.  Plus, India is a huge arms importer.  From all the big players.  They'd tend to side with India, not China.

The big players ? Russia is more friendly with China than it is with India. And Russia is not actually getting involved in this. What about America ? America backs Pakistan, and India's biggest rival is Pakistan. Washington does not back India, either though some people like to think there is some type of alliance between America and India.

Countries export arms to India, but not at a discount price. Let's just allow China and India to have their dispute, let's cheer on neither side.

By the way, the zero dollar tours were scrapped, it was done because those tours were harming Chinese tourists. Thailand did not want it's image harmed in front of China. The zero dollar tours made up a small percentage of the Chinese tourists, and the removal of such tours has not greatly reduced the number of Chinese tourists. Pattaya is still packed with Chinese tourists.

[Srikcir]

11 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

America backs Pakistan

Not in recent memory.

 

Pakistan has long been accused by its neighbors India and Afghanistan, and western nations like the United States,[1][2] and the United Kingdom[3] of its involvement in terrorist activities in the region and beyond. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan_and_state-sponsored_terrorism

Pakistan continues to be safe haven for terrorists: Pentagon report says Haqqani Network biggest threat.

http://www.firstpost.com/world/pakistan-continues-to-be-safe-haven-for-terrorists-pentagon-report-says-haqqani-network-biggest-threat-3160764.html

Pentagon Stops $300 Million Payment to Pakistan, Citing Terrorist Fight

http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/07/21/pentagon-stops-300-million-payment-to-pakistan-citing-terrorist-fight/

And just a reminder. US has never had official Pakistan permission to use its drone in Pakistan Territories to kill terrorists nor sought permission to enter Pakistan to kill Bin Laden.

 

[craigt3365]

27 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

The big players ? Russia is more friendly with China than it is with India. And Russia is not actually getting involved in this. What about America ? America backs Pakistan, and India's biggest rival is Pakistan. Washington does not back India, either though some people like to think there is some type of alliance between America and India.

Countries export arms to India, but not at a discount price. Let's just allow China and India to have their dispute, let's cheer on neither side.

By the way, the zero dollar tours were scrapped, it was done because those tours were harming Chinese tourists. Thailand did not want it's image harmed in front of China. The zero dollar tours made up a small percentage of the Chinese tourists, and the removal of such tours has not greatly reduced the number of Chinese tourists. Pattaya is still packed with Chinese tourists.

Russia is India's #1 supplier for military weapons.  Who do think they'll side with? LOL

 

America backing Pakistan?  Not any more.  Time to catch up. LOL

 

As for cheering one side or the other, time to China to accept it's boundaries and stop the dozens of territory conflicts it has around the world.  Time to abide by international law.

 

Zero dollar tour groups were about 40% of total Chinese visitors.  Hardly a small percentage. LOL

[Morch]

16 minutes ago, tonbridgebrit said:

The big players ? Russia is more friendly with China than it is with India. And Russia is not actually getting involved in this. What about America ? America backs Pakistan, and India's biggest rival is Pakistan. Washington does not back India, either though some people like to think there is some type of alliance between America and India.

Countries export arms to India, but not at a discount price. Let's just allow China and India to have their dispute, let's cheer on neither side.

By the way, the zero dollar tours were scrapped, it was done because those tours were harming Chinese tourists. Thailand did not want it's image harmed in front of China. The zero dollar tours made up a small percentage of the Chinese tourists, and the removal of such tours has not greatly reduced the number of Chinese tourists. Pattaya is still packed with Chinese tourists.

 

Russia exports arms to both India and the PRC, making them their two top markets. Doubt they'll wish to lose either. As said - not likely they would intervene. The US, as posted above does not quite "back Pakistan", certainly not at the expense of relations with India. As for US-India military relations, no "alliance" was suggested, but ties are more than you'd like to acknowledge:

 

India, US finalise Major Defence Partner agreement

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-us-major-defence-partner-agreement-manohar-parrikar-ashton-carter-4418019/

 

U.S., India sign military logistics agreement

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-usa-military-idUSKCN114241

 

Doubt there was a point to the "discount price" comment. Does the PRC get the "discount price"? Is this alleged "discount price" denied only to India?

 

"...let's cheer on neither side."

 

Coming from you this must be one of them tongue-in-cheek things.