Indo-Chinese border stand-off which entered second month, the
longest till date post 1962 is showing no signs of remission. China adept at
playing victimhood card, cited 1890 Sino-British agreement on Sikkim in its
defence and appealed for withdrawal of Indian forces from the tri-junction even
as President Xi refused to abide by 1984 agreement signed between same parties.
The 1984 agreement paved way for hassle-free handover of Hong Kong to China in
1997. Marking 20 years of hand-over of
Hong Kong, President Xi made his first visit to Hong Kong after taking over as
President in 2013 to sworn in pro-Chinese Chief Executive Clarrie Lam. Xi, who is frantically adamant on “One China
Policy” in unequivocal terms mowed down critical clause of “One Country, two
systems” bedrock for Hong Kong’s promised autonomy at the event.
China vividly treasures July 1st, 1997, a day when
Hong Kong was transferred to Beijing after 156 years of British Rule. The event
symbolized the end of “century of
humiliation” that began with Sino-British Opium wars and pushed country
into successive imperialistic rule. Deng Xiaoping in a bid to win back the
historical Chinese territories and realize Chinese reunification proposed “One Country, two systems” for capitalist
economies- Macau and Hong Kong. He
proposed that these territories will have their own political, economic,
judicial, financial systems while foreign affairs and defence would be under
the ambit of mainland China. To facilitate smooth takeover Hong Kong which had
been an epitome of capitalism to an authoritarian regime, China and Britain
engaged in negotiations for 13 years. In 1984, as per Sino-British Joint
Declaration, registered under the UN, Britain was ordained to return Hong Kong
to Chinese sovereignty and China was obliged not to impose socialist regime on
Hong Kong which will remain as Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China for
50 years, until 2047. Residents of Hong Kong had mixed feeling ranging from
extreme jubilation at the prospect of reuniting with motherland to deep-rooted
suspicion for being part of communist regime. To assuage apprehensions of Hong
Kong, a mini-constitution was drafted which outlined the basic law governing the island, permitting it to retain capitalist
economy and currency. China promised to preserve Hong Kong’s economic and
cultural identity and defend Freedom of press, speech, religion and protest.
Interestingly, unlike Hong Kong, China remained reclusive for
long. But in early 1970’s impressed by rapid economic strides of Hong Kong,
China emulated the capitalist model and opened its economy. Hong Kong acted as
conduit for development between China and the outside world and soon emerged as
an outstanding financial center. After the transfer ceremony in 1997 Hong
Kong’s economic integration with main land deepened. Consequently, Hong Kong
became favored destination for many businesses. Rapid exodus of mainlanders and
inflow of investments had changed the contour of Hong Kong and escalated the
cost of living. Real estate businesses zoomed. Increased cost of living impeded
dreams of own house for several youngsters of Hong Kong. Even socio-economic
inequalities widened. Though the island had 95% of Chinese population, it had a
unique identity, which began to weather under the authoritarian communist
regime. Massive Chinese investments inadvertently brought political dominance
which compounded fears of excessive Chinese intrusions into Hong Kong’s autonomy.
Economically, Hong Kong’s contribution to China’s GDP which
was 25% in 1997 plunged to 3%. This critically changed China’s attitude towards
Hong Kong. To diversify economy China relentlessly developed several economic
hubs, like Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou etc reducing reliance on Hong Kong. Beijing
and Shanghai surpassed Hong Kong’s GPD reducing island’s economic preeminence.
Slowly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to impose its own set of laws
grossly undermining the autonomy of Hong Kong. Attempts were made to replace
curriculum with communist leaning ideology through Patriot Act under article 23,
slow but subtle legislative reforms were enacted. Consequently, the abrasions
between the China and Hong Kong became more sharper and dissidence towards
mainland began to escalate. By 2013, independence movements began to gain
ground. China’s reluctance to grant universal suffrage heightened creeping
mistrust. The “831 decision” of
imposing selective nomination of Chief Executive and Legislative Council,
triggered class boycott for unprecedented 79 days culminating in the famous
Umbrella Movement of October 2014 (Massive Occupy Protest). In 2016,
Legislative council oath taking controversy sparked by two law makers (Sixtus
Leung and Yau Wai-Ching) who took oath, bearing allegiance to Hong Kong Nation
once again highlighted burgeoning dissent towards China. The legislator duo of Youngspiration party
which emerged after 2014 protests are fighting for self-determination and aims
to have a referendum by 2020 with the outcomes effective from 2047 when the
“One Country, two systems” pledge ends. As of now, the legislators stand
disqualified, but these young guns have been the heart of pro-democracy
movement. Days before President Xi’s visit for handover ceremony, protestors
draped black flag over the giant Bauhinia flower, a statue that symbolized Hong
Kong’s transfer underscoring the 20 years of authoritarian regime of China.
Twenty years after the transfer on the eve of swearing-in of
Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman remarked that,
“Now that Hong Kong has returned to
motherland for 20 years, the Sino-British Declaration, as a historical
document, no longer has any realistic meaning”. Responding to these
remarks, British Foreign Office replied that, declaration is “legally binding treaty, registered with UN,
and continues to be in force. As a co-signatory, the UK government is closely
committed to monitoring its implementation closely”.
Unabashed artifice of China, penetrating aggression,
coercion, and duplicitous twisting of facts substantiates Chinese desperation
for a “Sino-Centric Asia” dream. High on power, China has incontrovertibly
turned into bully of Asia. China’s deliberate infringement of standoff
agreement with Bhutan testifies the same. Contemptuous warnings, fortification
of border regions, aggressive deployment of submarines in Indian Ocean and a
stubborn no for a compromise demonstrates a vicious rise of belligerent rise of
China. Expansionist aspirations of China are threatening peace and stability of
South Asia. China’s stubborn stance justifying illegitimate infrastructure
development in the contentious India-Bhutan-China trijunction demonstrates
Beijing’s belligerent rise.
The story of Hong Kong is no different from other autonomous
regions of China- Xinjiang and Tibet where resistance in any form was crushed
with iron fist. Increasingly hubristic, self-assertive China’s defiance to
abide by international law and occasional reneging on bilateral agreements including
the ruling of International Court on South China Sea dispute is indeed a
message to all nations scrambling for bilateral developmental ties. Further
China’s attempts to buy silence of international communities on human rights
and issues of international law through trade-related sanctions bear semblance
to China’s revisionism. For the first time EU failed to make a statement
against China pertaining to human rights violation since Greece, Croatia and
Hungary refused to vote. China invested heavily in Greece post 2008 recession.
China’s largest shipping company COSCO has major stakes in Greece port Pireus. Hungary and Croatia receive considerable
Chinese investments. China is constructing nuclear reactors in these countries.
China even forced Norway to fall in line by suspending diplomatic ties and
imposing ban on import of Norwegian Salmon fish after 2010 as Norwegian Nobel
Committee awarded Nobel peace prize to dissident Liu Xiaobo. By imposing tight
reins on freedom of press and speech China ensured that its unspeakable
excesses in crushing resistance movements in Tibet and Xinjiang remain
unquestioned. Though the judgements on human rights issues are often delivered
by West but China’s attempts to alter the existing frameworks should alert
nations of China’s Obstinacy. Having watched Chinese intemperate interventions
in autonomous regions, Taiwan is vehemently turning down Beijing’s formula of
“peaceful unification”. Strong-arm tactics, attempts to throttle democracy and
reins on freedom of press, speech is turning Chinese territories increasingly
hostile towards main land.
In the meanwhile, India’s reticence on Sikkim standoff is
throwing Chinese off the gear. While Chinese has beefed up military at the
border and aggressively rushed in submarines and ships into Indian Ocean,
conflicting signals from China is throwing mask off its claims of “peaceful rise”. The true colors of
Chinese belligerence are making its appearance in full glare. Series of
impetuous articles by Global Times, indicated China wariness of India cozying
up to US and New Delhi’s refusal to embrace OBOR (especially OBOR). OBOR was
pet initiative of President Xi and India’s reluctance might threaten his
credentials who was elevated as “core
leader” on par with Mao Zedong. Until last decade, China acknowledged India
as leader of South Asia. A retreating America has ceded ground to China.
Hubristic China is now diplomatically escalating the situation to craftily
encircle and contain India. Further, China fretted, Bhutan’s close ties with
India and abnegation of diplomatic ties with Beijing. China blatantly violated
the bilateral treaty of maintaining status quo in the disputed region with
Bhutan and made deliberate attempts to provoke India by diplomatically upping
rhetoric. Latest reports indicate that President Xi is unlikely to hold talks
with Prime Minister Modi at Hamburg. Hence the stand-off is expected to
continue as China refused to hold even flag meetings. In every likelihood,
China would extend this impasse. But with East Asian cauldron simmering after
North Korea test fired ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) and US mulling
military action against North Korea, expect the unexpected….
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