The Hindu Business Line : Is China a threat, challenge, or strategic partner?

Despite the recent MoU with Beijing that provides for enhanced economic cooperation and contacts between the armed forces of the two countries, China remains the most destabilising factor for Indian national security, the most dangerous manifestation of this being its continuing nuclear and missile cooperation with Pakistan, says G. PARTHASARATHY.

Nothing symbolises the confusion and ambivalence in India's approach to relations with China more than the contradictory statements about Sino-Indian relations that have emanated from our Defence and External Affairs Ministries over the past year. Barely a year ago the Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, categorically asserted in Mumbai that India should never forget that it had been invaded by China in 1962.

Shortly after his visit to Japan and China in May 2006, where he signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" on Defence Cooperation with his Chinese counterpart, Gen Cao Gangchuan, Mr Mukherjee proclaimed in New Delhi on June 13: "We do consider that India is no threat to China and they are no threat to us... There is enough (strategic) space for both of us".

The annual report of the Ministry of Defence presented this year to Parliament states: "China's military modernisation, with sustained double digit growth in its defence budget for over a decade, as also the development of infrastructure in the India-China border areas continues to be monitored. Close Defence exchanges and nuclear and missile cooperation between China and Pakistan continue to elicit our concern".

Despite this stated unease about China's military build up, the China Daily, a Chinese Government mouthpiece, quoted Mr Mukherjee as having responded to Japan's concerns on China's military build-up by telling his hosts in Japan: "We are fully aware of it (China's feverish military modernisation). But every country has its own perception of the development and modernisation of its armed forces". There is also nothing to suggest that during his visit to China, Mr Mukherjee took up the issue of China's massive military, nuclear weapons and missile assistance to Pakistan — assistance that today poses the greatest threat to both conventional and nuclear security for India. Why are we so inhibited in even bringing such concerns to the notice of the Chinese Government at high political levels?

Attitude change

What has transpired in the time that elapsed between what Mr Mukherjee proclaimed last year about our never forgetting China's 1962 invasion and what is now being said? On the positive side, trade and economic relations between India and China are booming, with bilateral trade reaching $18.7 billion last year. The Sino-Indian border has been tension-free. Over the last three years the Navies of India and China have held joint exercises in the East China Sea and at Kochi, and India's Army Chief visited China in 2004.

The Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation that Mr Mukherjee inked in Beijing provides for enhanced cooperation and contacts between the Defence Ministries and Armed Forces of the two countries. India and China have agreed to hold training programmes in the fields of search and rescue, anti-piracy, counter-terrorism and other areas of mutual interest. Border trade between Tibet and Sikkim through the 15,000-feet-high Nathu La Pass is set to resume next month after over four decades. There is thus an environment of peace and tranquility along the Sino-Indian border and growing economic and cultural cooperation.

Still a threat

Despite these developments, China remains the most destabilising factor for Indian national security. It has consistently sought to undermine India's influence in Asia and, indeed, across the world.

The most dangerous manifestation of this Chinese role has been its continuing nuclear and missile cooperation with Pakistan. Having provided Pakistan with nuclear weapons designs, enrichment technology, un-safeguarded plutonium facilities for developing thermonuclear weapons capabilities and nuclear capable ballistic missiles that can strike at virtually every Indian city, China has recently transferred cruise missile technology, enabling Pakistan to test cruise missiles that can endanger our land and maritime security.

The nuclear-capable 500-km range "Babur" cruise missile, tested by Pakistan on August 12, was a product of the China Aerospace and Industry Corporation. This missile transfer violated China's commitments under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). China is also in the process of transferring four F-22 naval frigates and 150 JF-17 fighters to Pakistan. The Pakistan `Al Khalid' tank is being built with Chinese collaboration.

China also took the unprecedented step of joining Pakistan in providing military supplies to the beleaguered and unpopular King Gyanendra in Nepal, at a time when India and the international community were trying to promote political reconciliation and democracy in the mountain kingdom. In these circumstances, one wonders how New Delhi can blandly state that China poses no "threat" to India. During the past year, China has effectively lobbied against our efforts to seek Permanent Membership of the UN Security Council. Both in Washington and in other capitals of the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group, China is, behind the scenes, seeking to undermine the Indo-US nuclear deal designed to end global nuclear sanctions against India.

While Pakistan has crudely spent a lot of money in Washington to undermine the India-US nuclear deal, the Chinese effort on this score has been low-key and sophisticated.

Disturbing signs

In maritime terms, there are disturbing signs to indicate that China is seeking naval and monitoring facilities across the Indian Ocean from Myanmar to Pakistan, in a bid to challenge India's maritime security interests. Gen Musharraf has indicated that in moments of crisis he would not hesitate to provide base facilities to the Chinese navy in the Gwadar Port, now being built with Chinese assistance. A Chinese naval presence in Gwadar can seriously challenge the security of oil supplies from the Persian Gulf to India. On the border issue, China has laid claim to the monastery town of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh — a demand India cannot possibly accede to.

While India and China inked a high-sounding agreement to establish a "Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity" during the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr Wen Jiabao, to India in 2005, it would be ludicrous to speak of our relationship with China as being a "strategic partnership" given China's attempts at "strategic containment" of India through its relationship with Pakistan and its sustained efforts to undermine India's quest for a larger role within South Asia and beyond.

While China professes concern about India's growing relationship with the US it did not hesitate to join the US to condemn us after our nuclear tests in 1998, or undermine our quest for Permanent Membership of the Security Council. India has to learn to engage and expand cooperation with China without any illusions about the Middle Kingdom's larger strategic thinking.

(The author is a former High Commissioner to Pakistan.)

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