As the world battles the pandemic unleashed by the Chinese virus, and nations increasingly seek accountability from Xi Jingping, internal unease and murmurs in the CCP is manifesting itself in aggressive behaviour by the PLA in the neighbourhood.
While Vietnam and Philippines have been at the receiving end of the aggression in the South China Sea, India is facing the PLA ire at the contested border with China along the Himalayan Frontier as evident from incidents in Sikkim and Ladakh in the past few days.
China watchers recall that Beijing has always been on the ball when it comes to seizing opportunities born out of crises. Recall the timing of the 1962 war. When powerful adversaries United States and USSR were engaged in the tense Cuban missiles crisis, Mao chose to attack India
Or take 2008-09 when the financial crisis coupled with American confusion on whether to really pivot to Asia or just pay lip service to its commitment in pushing back against Chinese agressive claims in SCS, allowed Beijing to assert its claim on the artificial reefs in the SCS.
Now, in 2020 as US and Europe muddle through the response to Corono and India is pre-oocupied with managing the world's strictest lockdown, China has chosen to up the ante. As I said in this stratnewsglobal.com/china-india-bh… (behind a paywall), PLA hasn't forgotten the 2017 Dolam insult
China is still trying to find ways to put pressure on Bhutan and keep Indian troops engaged in border faceoffs in Sikkim. The standoffs are no surprise. The assessment in Delhi is: the incidents are likely to increase in coming days as PLA itches to assert itself
Heads up: Dolam could see renewed tension as China may attempt to renew building the track towards the trijunction. all of us will recall that this was the site of the faceoff for more than 70 days in 2017 leading finally to the Wuhan and Mamllapuram informal summits.
Meanwhile, Chinese footprints continue to grow in South Asia. Over these past 3 months our team has mapped these details. You can access the extent of Chinese dominance here: stratnewsglobal.com/chinese-footpr…; stratnewsglobal.com/chinese-footpr…; stratnewsglobal.com/chinese-footpr…
To sum up, China is unlikely to relent in its attempt to browbeat its neighbours, Corono virus or no Corono virus. The bootomline: India will have to keep its guard up, no matter what. Ends
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