Click to play videoDuring the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meet in Vienna, China weighed in with smaller countries like Ireland, Austria and New Zealand to oppose India's waiver. Now, days after the NSG meet, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has told China's Foreign Minister Yang Jeichi, who is on a three-day India visit, that New Delhi is disappointed, displeased and betrayed by China.
But Yang Jiechi has denied that China tried to sabotage India's chances at getting the NSG waiver. And that brings us to the question that was asked on CNN-IBN show Face the Nation: Is China a neighbour India can never trust?
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Economic Cell head Prasenjit Bose, former Indian Foreign Service officer Ranjit Gupta, Mail Today Comment Editor Manoj Joshi and Executive Director of Bajaj Electricals Ltd. R Ramakrishnan took part in the discussion which was moderated by CNN-IBN’s Senior Editor Sagarika Ghose.
Chinese whispers
Diplomat Ranjit Gupta began the debate by explaining why China did not raise an objection initially at the meet. But after Ireland, Austria and New Zealand raised objections then China joined hands with them in what seemed like a covert attempt to stop India from getting the waiver.
“China always wanted to have the so called non-proliferationists out in front so that they could lead the battle and China could always claim that they never did anything against us. But when things started getting out of hand and China suddenly realised that India would get a waiver then they had no option but to throw up their hand. That is China’s true policy,” Gupta said, making his anti-China stand very clear.
When asked if China was not comfortable with a rising India, Gupta emphatically said, “Absolutely right. As an Indian Foreign Service officer who joined the service in 1964, I know first hand everywhere I have served how China has consistently worked against India, to contain us, to see that India is put down.”
Agreeing with Gupta, Manoj Joshi said, “I think by and large the Chinese are very cautious. They don’t like to take a stand upfront. But in this particular case, I think what happened was that they got trapped. They wanted to tip the whole thing over the edge but they were not way out in front. Yes, there is a division in China. There is the PLA and the hardliners but the point is in China where the party is always in command. The most key body that looks after the armed forces – the Central Military Commission – is the most prestigious body in which any Chinese leader can be. At the end of the day it is the party that calls the shot. I think it was the call from President Bush to Beijing and that did it.”
When pointed out that the Left parties sounded more like China, a country which apparently does not want India to grow, Prasenjit Bose rubbished the charge.
“That is absolutely incorrect. As far as the nuclear deal is concerned it has got nothing to do with what the Chinese position is. I would like to point out the fact that after the NSG waiver suddenly a China bogey is being raised and we are suddenly debating a non-issue,” Bose countered.
Gupta was quick to react saying, “What would you expect from an ideological bedmate of China.”
But Bose argued that his party’s views were different from those of China on many issues.
“China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and is a nuclear weapons state and CPI-M has a completely different position. They want India to join the NPT, we are opposed to India joining the NPT,” Bose said.
When Joshi pointed out that CPI-M has been opposing India’s nuclear weaponisation but not China’s and also the fact that China has signed the NPT, Bose replied, “China signed NPT as a nuclear weapons state and India’s unilateral moratorium is now a part of the NSG draft.”
Joshi once again riled Bose by saying that China first tried to block the nuclear deal in India thought the CPI-M and when the move failed then it tried to block the waiver in Vienna.
However, Bose said the charges were “ridiculous”.
Doing business with China
As the debate gathered steam, Ramakrishnan joined the discussion and spoke about India’s prospects while doing business with China and whether it can be done on an equal footing or not.
Ramakrishnan pointed out the differences between business interests and geo-political interests.
“China’s stand on this issue and its pursuit of business with India are two absolutely different things. China is pursuing its own geo-political and economic interests. Very clearly a strong India in the larger Asian context is not very good as far as China is concerned. Also China has commitments to Pakistan. The fact of the matter is that China has been giving clandestine nuclear support to Pakistan and probably through AAQ Khan even to Libya. I would just like to draw the attention to what the People’s Daily says. It says: ‘This whole deal is a major blow to non-proliferation.’ They say it is about geo-political and commercial interest between US and India,” he said.
Ramakrishnan added, “I feel India’s relationship with China will improve as time goes on. Our business prospects will strengthen. But both the nations will always keep a watch in terms of how each one is making advances in world affairs.”
China has been pursuing the dream of becoming a superpower on its own terms, which is not entirely in tune with the Western world’s views. It is not a democracy and yet is aiming to become a superpower. It is perhaps seeing the nuclear deal as one given to India by the US simply to contain China.
Gupta argued, “That is not correct. But what China cannot stand is a rising India. As long as India was weak and it could be shunted around and was contained in South Asia by our neighbours whom China has cultivated. Once India gained in Asia, with the help of the Western world, China now sees India as a hurdle in its ambitions.”
Joshi gave the solution as to how India can take on the Chinese in the international arena.
“Be strong. As soon as India started to get closer to the US, China’s attitude towards us changed. India has been handling issues subtly. In the past we would have forgotten about this whole issue. The fact that we have raised this issue, we have pinned down China on it and issued them a demarche on this, I think the Chinese will get the message. For the last 30-40 years they have helped Pakistan with its nuclear programme, they designed it, and also tested it,” he said.
China-Pakistan, a strategic ally?
Gupta pointed out that China-Pakistan is the world’s “strongest strategic and most consistent bilateral relationship” from mid-1955 onwards.
Joshi once again agreed with Gupta and said, “If they can use Pakistan’s hostility towards India and keep us in check, they will be nice. But now the rules have changed. There is one set of rules for India, which is the same as the NSG and Pakistan is out of it.”
China has been pursuing its pragmatic self-interest very aggressively. So can India really hope for any enduring relationship?
“Frankly every country pursues its own self interest. Why has the US aligned itself in a certain way with India at this point in time? It is kind of check and balance relationship,” Ramakrishnan said.
He went on to add, “Trade between India and China are growing exponentially. The two economies have tremendous role to play in terms of the world economy going forward. I think the economic relationship will continue and it should not be viewed with suspicion but when it comes to strategic interest, geo-political interest very clearly there is a conflict.”
Joshi said, “Good diplomacy can manage that challenge (balance been economic interest and strategic interest).”
Bose, however, maintained that all moves by China should not been seen as anti-India.
Bose concluded the debate on a positive note by saying, “Let me tell all the China bashers that during the Doha round of WTO talks, India and China joined hands against the US which was trying to put in conditions that would have harmed Indian farmers. International politics and diplomacy is not in black and white. Interests sometimes converge, sometimes diverge.”
Final SMS/Web poll:
Yes: 87 per cent.
No: 13 per cent.
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