Chinese media help in effort to usurp India's territory

Dear editor,

It is with my deep sense of pain and anguish that I write this letter expressing my deep hurt against the role played by the Chinese media to spit fire on India. In recent days, many editorials have appeared in Chinese government-controlled media to teach India a lesson for stopping the road construction on the India-China border.

Sir, with each editorial the cordial relationship between the two countries is being damaged. If something is not done soon to stop it there is a high possibility that an already tense situation on the border can turn bloody and even lead to full-fledged war between two nuclear powers.

India and China have along and peaceful history. They have benefited from each other’s culture tremendously. Even today they are enjoying a healthy political and economic relationship. Both are trading to the tune of $70 billion a year with each other; helping reduce poverty and building rich and prosperous societies in the process. Both are also playing constructive roles in international organizations such as BRICKS, SCO ASEAN and SAARAC as responsible members of the international community.

War at this stage could be very destructive, not only for China and India, but for the world community as together they are becoming the growth engine of the world economy. Their economies are growing at a rate of more than 6% a year and are projected to lead the world for decades. Any disruption of this economic dynamism can seriously hurt the world economy and cause severe global upheavals. With China and India at war with each other, peace and stability will be affected everywhere.

We all know China and India possess nuclear weapons. Small skirmishes on the border may quickly lead to nuclear exchanges, and given the strength of their nuclear arsenal, nuclear war between them will be end of both countries. The small border hills for which they are fighting over today will become meaningless as there will be no winner and loser after such a war.

Sir, throughout its 5000-year history India has never attacked another country for territorial gains nor has occupied another country. It has the most pacifist traditions in the world. Our cultures and the teachings of our gurus and saints do not allow us to occupy another’s territory or country. The territories in Kashmir and northeast India which China is claiming have been a part of India since time immemorial. These territories are inhabited by Indian people, speaking Indian languages and observing Indian cultures and traditions. To call them Chinese will be like calling the day night. Any ordinary person making simple observations of dress, food and language of the people living there can easily tell that these people are Indians.

It is time for the Chinese press to stop spiting fire on India and play a more constructive role in building a strong partnership between the two countries. After several centuries of war and poverty China and India are growing again and reaching out to the stars. Our time on the global stage is coming, and we must make sure a third party does not take any advantage of our differences and make us destroy each other. Let us not fail our future generations. Our children and grandchildren have every right to expect this much from us. We must keep the bigger picture in mind.

Lakhvinder Singh

Director of peace program at Asia Institute Seoul