The border disputes have long plagued China-India relations, but it is crucial for the two countries to enhance cooperation rather than hinder the development of bilateral relations due to border disputes, a Chinese mouthpiece has said in an editorial on Thursday.
Global Times, which is run by Chinese state-owned Chinese Communist Party’s flagship newspaper the People’s Daily, blamed the United States for India’s border frictions with China.
“The border disputes have long plagued China-India relations. When it comes to the frictions on the border with China, India tends to pass the buck to Beijing, but India is well-aware of the rights and wrongs of the whole issue, according to experts,” the editorial said.
“Against the background of complex regional and international situation, it is crucial for China and India to enhance cooperation rather than hinder the development of bilateral relations due to border disputes,” it added.
The report comes days after Indian and Chinese troops clashed near the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, the first since 2020. During the clash, troops from both sides suffered minor injuries.
The Global Times report blamed the US for border tensions by saying that India’s fresh mounting efforts to provoke China has a lot to do with Washington.
“Washington has spared no effort to include India into its Indo-Pacific Strategy. After the clash between soldiers of China and India on December 9, the US said it will fully support India’s effort. All these may trigger India to make a strategic miscalculation and ramp up its efforts to provoke China,” the report further said.
However, the opinion piece also went on to say that India is at a stage of strategic transformation in diplomacy.
It also said that New Delhi, taking advantage of the China-US competition, is moving closer to the US.
“By containing China with the US, India intends to promote the transfer of the global industrial chain and supply chain to India, realize India’s rise as a great power and achieve its own strategic goals,” it said.
But the report went on to say that the two countries should find an inclusive way to coexist and accommodate each other. It further added that India’s G-20 presidency will give it an opportunity to showcase its international status and influence.
“The two sides should focus on the big picture, help each other realize their goals rather than exhaust each other; strengthen cooperation rather than guard against each other; and build trust rather than mistrust,” the mouthpiece stated.
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