India refers to ‘militarisation’ of Taiwan Strait in spat with Chinese envoy

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New Delhi, August 28

In line with its post-Galwan Valley clash policy of calling a spade a spade in Sino-Indian affairs, India in its recent riposte to Chinese envoy from Sri Lanka has for the first time used the phrase “militarisation of the Taiwan Strait”.

Responding late on Saturday to an article by the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, the spokesman of the Indian High Commission in Colombo noted that the envoy drew a connection between “militarisation of Taiwan Straits and visit of China’s Yuan Wang 5 ship to Hambantota’’

He then went on to slam the Chinese envoy’s remarks by stating that “his violation of basic diplomatic etiquette may be a personal trait or reflecting a larger national attitude’’.

This is in marked contrast to the MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi’s first and only comments on the Taiwan Straits crisis after the visit to Taipei by US Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Nowhere in his comments on August 12 did he use the word militarisation – shorthand used by the West for China amassing warships and planes around Taiwan.

On China’s insistence – as it does with all countries – India mentioned the ‘Òne China’ commitment in official statements but dropped it in 2008 after China started a policy of issuing ‘stapled visas’ to people from J & K and Arunachal Pradesh on grounds that they were temporary citizens of India.

At the MEA briefing on August 12 too, India’s position on the “One China’’ commitment was unlike that of 170 countries whom China has persuaded after the Taiwan Strait tensions to directly state that they follow this policy. When asked about it, Bagchi said, “India’s relevant policies are well known and consistent. They do not require reiteration’’.

India has also not been shy in making official contacts with the Dalai Lama, which was not the case before the Galwan Valley clash. The Centre made available an army helicopter for the Dalai Lama to travel in Ladakh where he stayed for the past one month before reaching Delhi on Friday. India has maintained the “One China’’ commitment since the Communists took power in 1949 and only maintains trade and cultural relations with Taiwan.