West’s inability to rein in on the Dragon it propped

Unremitting Doklam stand-off besides, escalating tensions, has offered a unique opportunity to unravel the intentions of China. India’s strategic defiance amidst ratcheted Chinese diplomatic rhetoric has taken the World by a surprise. Despite Chinese media warning of “the window for peace is closing for India” India has firmly dug its heels, refused conditional withdrawal of troops, and pressed for diplomatic negotiations. Beijing’s aggressive posturing and war-mongering decimated international perceptions of “peaceful rise”.

The exalted show of strength highlighting strategic assets at military base, Zhurihe in Inner Mongolia commemorating 90^th anniversary of PLA and subsequent strident call by President Xi to stand “up to all enemies who offend China” reinforced Beijing’s apoplectic stance. Though some Chinese officials have privately confided that “China has erred, with the leadership misled to believe that India will silently accept Chinese road building in Doklam”, media’s exaggerated narrative has complicated things for Chinese military. India in unequivocal terms ruled out pulling of troops and called for maintenance of status quo the region. China is now stuck in a limbo as any de-escalation will be a loss of face. China’s intransigent approach towards Doklam standoff is just a top of iceberg of its burgeoning hegemony. Unabated Chinese adventurism is now reaching unprecedented levels. As of today, none can predict how matters will turn out. But India’s approach whilst China’s high-decibel rhetoric is highly commended and senior US diplomat applauded India’s “mature approach”.

On the other hand, China’s high-handedness has now come under intense scrutiny.  Emboldened by ineptness of the West, China is roiling the security of the region with its unending spree of historical territorial claims. Giving wings to its geopolitical ambitions, China instituted several think-tanks to dig vast Chinese history to find legitimacy to its fictitious claims. The nocuous nine-dashed line, which was unheard of prior to inception of Communist regime is now threatening the stability of the region. Fictitious territorial claims have turned into iniquitous tools for asserting hegemony for China.

Philippines irked by China’s assertions over the Scarborough Island dragged it to international court. But Beijing refused to accept the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) verdict that quashed Chinese claims over the geographical features in SCS. The West’s muted response to China’s defiance towards international rules and its relentless island building spree in SCS is now becoming a matter of serious concern. Besides, the enviable three decadal two-digit economic growth, West’s unwillingness to contest China’s excesses have given it a pretext to exercise its hegemony in the region. Consequently, China is now incrementally expanding its sphere of influence. Slowly China began to assert its control over strategically important regions. China which entered the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to join anti-piracy operations continued to remain the region long after pirate threat has subsided and smartly created “String of Pearls”. In 2012, it created Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the east China sea and by fag end of President Obama’s tenure began sending vessels closer to Alaska. While it strongly objects to Freedom of Navigation and joint exploration of oil in SCS. In absence of a power to call its bluff, China continued to strengthen its hold in the region.

Simultaneously Beijing powered its hegemonic aspirations through the One Belt One Road (OBOR) roping in 28 countries. The transmuted OBOR, a global connectivity initiative turned out to be a “debt trap diplomacy” began inflicting irrevocable financial damages to countries. The OBOR projects in many countries were meted with massive public protests for the grave environmental violations. China, deliberately invested in countries with authoritarian or dictatorial regimes and unstable economies, regardless of economic viability of the projects, plunging the host nations into a debt trap. But the west chose to largely overlook the pattern and motives behind Beijing’s investments. Instead sent official delegations to BRI (Belt Road Initiative) summit, as an endorsement of its strategic initiatives.

Also, the West which earned reputation of defender of democratic values remained callous towards China’s abominable disregard towards international rules, human rights, freedom of press, internet censoring and curbs, intolerance towards domestic dissidence, excesses in Tibetan region and high-handed suppression of Uighar’s freedom of religion. West’s silence strengthened Chinese resolve to intimidate and bully smaller nations. China began forcibly compelling nations to fall in line. Beijing punished Mongolia for hosting Dalai Lama by wielding economic leverage. It suspended talks on a major loan and brought the nation to feet by imposing high border fees on trucks entering China. Similarly, it rattled South Korea over THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Air Defense) deployment by imposing unofficial trade sanctions and curtailing tourism.  China considered THAAD deployment and Dalai Lama’s international standing inimical to its security and authority. Unfortunately, despite China needling Japan and South Korea, America refused to come down heavily. China’s unabashed temerity to threaten or bully countries remained unchallenged.

In the span of past three months, besides aggressively penetrating the Doklam trijunction infringing mutual agreements, China has threatened Vietnam, forcing it to stop oil exploration at the edge of its exclusive economic zone in SCS, conducted joint military exercises with Russia in Baltic sea to send a message to NATO countries. Chinese spy ship operated in Australian exclusive economic zone when the later was holding military exercises with US and Japan. It flew fighter jets over Taiwan and Okinawa island of Japan. Through outlandish display of military, air force and naval clout, China is attempting to showcase global power shift.

China is slowly excelling the art of taming the west. Having emerged as global manufacturing hub, China has cultivated trade relations with far and distant lands. Soon it emerged as major trading partner for many countries. Under the guise of connectivity, China has developed extensive economic relations Beijing penetrated Eurasian region. Beijing heavily invested in European countries which were reeling under economic crisis after the 2008 recession. It gradually widened scope of cooperation to sectors like space technology, infrastructure development, building of nuclear reactors and became vital economic partner. The growing economic clout of China effectively guarded it from being sanctioned for any violations of human rights or media censoring. Except Germany none of the European countries condemned China’s illegal detention of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo who succumbed to cancer. While Germany, France and Italy expressed concerns over increasing non-EU investments in Europe without naming China, Germany alone tightened regulations to reduce Chinese acquisitions in Germany.  

For long China remained isolated. China being a communist country, America perceived it be expansionist and stayed away. Instead it wanted to create a rift between the two large communist nations China and Russia. After the eventual split between China and Russia, America moved closer to China. Pakistan who was an ally of America, honestly brokered Sino-US relations. Marking a new beginning to friendly ties both countries signed Shanghai Communique in 1972 and established diplomatic relations in 1979. This coincided with China’s “reform and opening” policy. With America suffering from stagnant economy and inflation and China struggling to uplift a sinking economy, both countries turned to each other for reviving their economies. This marked “co-dependency” instantly kick started the Chinese economy which soon began to supply cheap goods to American consumers. American consumerism has steered Chinese economy. Soon major Western and American companies shifted base to China because of low production costs. Having established formidable global credentials as rising economy, China became lucrative destination for new technologies. China even anchored American economy which suffers from poor domestic saving through Treasury bonds. Of late, China is coercing American MNCs to transfer technology, though it is not mandatory under WTO. Disregarding commitment towards protection of intellectual property rights, China is now promoting indigenous innovation through imported technologies. Aside, dubious currency manipulation, China with renewed efforts on techno-nationalism is aiming to replace America as leading economy. America was thus, instrumental for China’s meteoric economic rise. Economic stability reinvigorated Chinese global aspirations.

Intriguingly, America had no qualms in embracing a Communist China while it strongly detested Russia stems for being a communist nation. American hostility towards Communist Russia stems from its perception of Moscow as an aggressive, expansionist power. Then, how could America fail to fathom the dubious aspirations of a Communist China? Now, America hesitates to impose trade sanctions on China for the fear of dumping Treasury bonds. Apparently, America is now finding it difficult to tame China, that keeps tight leash on two rogue nations- Pakistan and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). While America can afford to be indifferent to Chinese aggression towards India, America is hard pressed to take a position on China’s role in containing DPRK. DPRK’s calumnious posturing and threats of destroying America is now keeping Washington on tenterhooks. By transferring missile technology to DPRK and nuclear technology to Pakistan, China has unleashed two dangerously armed rogue nations on the World. American having stationed its forces in Afghanistan for past 17 years and spent trillions of dollars is grappling hard to find a logical solution. US allied and funded Pakistan to resolve Afghan crisis but to no avail. Pakistan buttressed by its all-weather friend China is reluctant to cooperate with America. Over years, the West turned a blind eye towards China’s inimical strategic cultivation of two rogue countries. Now, dangerous showdown is brewing, but America is staggeringly powerless.

Despite the full blown psychological war, India called Chinese’s bluff, it is appalling that West has failed to do so….

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