Understanding the Chinese mind: 

Understanding the Chinese mind: 

Context

• Post the stand-off between India and China over the Doklam plateau,the two sides agreed to step back and disengage, thus avoiding a confrontation.

What is left unclear?

• The Indian side has pulled back its personnel and equipment to the Indian side of the boundary, while China has agreed to make ‘necessary adjustments and deployment’ on its part.
• It is unclear, however, whether China will patrol the region, which it claims to have been doing earlier. Road construction will not continue for the present.

India’s reason

• India’s actions in Doklam are easy to detect, viz. going to the help of a treaty partner in its time of need, a decision which incidentally has security ramifications for India.

China’s reason

• China’s reasons are more complex and complicated but, nevertheless, cannot be easily wished away.

Current situation

• China and India have a kind of competitive coexistence.
• While professing friendship, both sides have mutual suspicion for each other at times prompting several degrees of alienation.
• Both countries remain wary of each other’s intentions and actions.

China shaping its policies

• The BRICS summit and the 19th Party Congress both have high priority for China today.
• China is trying to reshape the regional and international order, and is keen to fine-tune its ‘Great Power diplomacy’.
• It, hence, needs to be seen as preferring peace over conflict.
• It is well-positioned to achieve this if it maintains its present course.
• Any interruption, by indulging in a conflict with nations small or big, would not only damage but derail the levels of progress that are essential to achieve this objective.