China talks bonhomie but Doklam chill stays

Chinese PLA ignores India on National Day

The Chinese Government headed by President Xi Jinping and its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) do not seem to be on the same page when it comes to dealing with India. While the Chinese Embassy on Sunday launched a fresh diplomatic peace initiative and reiterated, for the second time in three days, that the Indian elephant and Chinese dragon should “dance together”, the PLA did not bother to invite the Indian Army for the customary Border Personnel Meetings (BPMs) that take place on the occasion of the Chinese National Day on October 1 at five points along the Sino-Indian border.

The Chinese PLA is evidently upset at the loss of face it suffered when it had to pull back from the military face-off with the Indian Army at Doklam, after failing in its bid to build a road in the Bhutanese territory.

Sources confirmed that the BPMs between the two armies did not take place on Sunday at the five traditional BPM points — Daulat Beg Oldi and Chushul in Ladakh, Nathu La in Sikkim and Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh — after the PLA did not extend an invitation to the Indian Army.

The Chinese Government headed by President Xi Jinping and its People’s Liberation Army do not seem to be on the same page when it comes to India. Speculation is rife that some elements in the PLA are not happy with the Chinese Government’s handling of the military faceoff and the way in which the PLA had to back down at Doklam. This sentiment could also pose a challenge to the authority of Chinese President Xi Jinping who is preparing to consolidate his power at the forthcoming Chinese Communist Party Congress.

Ironically, on Sunday the Chinese embassy released a video about the “personal friendship” between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Xi. It said that the two leaders “agreed to look forward and start a new chapter” during their bilateral meeting at Brics.