Lake Pangong Tso is seen near the India-China border in Ladakh (AP)
AMSTERDAM: India’s energetic and tactically sound responses to Chinese attempts to unilaterally change the status quo along the Royal Line of Control (LAC) “has left China trapped in a shifting sand of its own making from which it can’t get out easily or stay trapped for too long, “according to a European-based think tank.
India has taken a leaf out of China’s book and has taken control of some strategic heights not only on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso, but also on its northern bank, strengthening its position, surprising Beijing. European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) said.
“Despite the repeated incidents near Pangong Tso in recent days and the visible erosion of trust, the saving grace is that the public statements emanating from the two countries still seem to prioritize peace over a war that would seriously harm both. countries in critical areas However, actually achieving such a peace will require a considerable amount of skillful negotiations and mutual give and take, and therefore the current confrontation promises to persist and continue, “the think tank said in its comment.
He said there are possible outbreaks in the sensitive interim period, until an agreement is reached, and the two sides must prevent that from happening by being vigilant.
India, meanwhile, has taken a look at the Chinese book, and in the days after the Chinese move has reportedly taken control of some strategic heights not only on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso, but also on its northern bank. , thus reinforcing its position. This took China by surprise and appears to have unsettled it, “EFSAS said.
“China anticipated much less rejection of its attempts since April to alter the status of LAC at multiple points through surreptitious incursions on the Indian side. The energetic and tactically sound responses of Indian troops have left China trapped in a quicksand that made it can’t easily break free or stay stuck for too long, “he said.
According to other unofficial reports, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had attempted to carry out another land grab targeting some heights on the southern shore of Pangong Tso, under cover of night, which would have given them an operational advantage. Security analyst Nitin Gokhale said Chinese forces were targeting the Chushul / Spanggur breach, south of Pangong Tso.
While it is still unclear what happened near Pangong Lake between August 29 and September 1, the situation remains tense, as reflected in recent statements issued by both India and China recently.
“While both countries have said they retain faith in negotiations based on previous agreements to maintain peace and tranquility in border regions, the two sides’ different perceptions of where LAC is and is going through, tense tempers in both sides, as well as the aggressive militarization of the area after the bloody Galwan clashes on June 15, all meant that it would not be easy to rush a negotiated settlement, “said EFSAS.
The comment read: “China, not without justification, feels that any major act of aggression on its part against India at a time when its own actions at the international level are very low and highly suspicious, could be the spark that triggers events. much larger and broader. Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar alluded to this Chinese apprehension, S Jaishankar, who expressed his confidence on September 3 that diplomacy would yield solutions to the LAC standoff, adding that ‘ the world has a lot riding on it. ”
In response, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized China, saying it “is working to end freedom around the world.” He also said the United States hoped for a peaceful resolution of border tensions between India and China.
“From the Taiwan Strait to the Himalayas and beyond, the Communist Party of China is engaged in a clear and intensive pattern of intimidating its neighbors,” Pompeo was quoted as saying.
On August 31, US Under Secretary of State Stephen Biegun claimed that China was “getting into a fight right now on virtually every front” and was seizing “every opportunity they can, from technology theft to affirmation of national sovereignty over the territory and territorial waters of other countries “.
“Our strategy is to push back China in practically every domain. We are doing it in the security area. We are doing it in terms of inordinate demands to claim sovereign territory, be it in the Galwan Valley of India in India. On the Chinese border, or in the South Pacific. We are also doing it economically, “added Biegun.
On September 3, China accused the United States of interfering in the issue of the India-China border. In a statement, he said that “China and India have the ability to resolve their border disputes bilaterally. We do not accept that countries outside the region point the finger, much less meddle or instigate, which will only endanger peace and regional stability “. .
The statement added: “It is regrettable that, outside of the zero-sum Cold War mentality, some senior American officials ignored the basic facts, violated the rules of international relations and basic principles of diplomacy, clashed in virtually every the fronts and exploited every opportunity they could to smear and smear China, instigated the relations of other countries with China. ”
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