The Sunday Guardian

India vs China: What should the world do?

India’s growth isn’t meant for India alone. Its growth is a way to ensure the survival of a free global economy and the prevention of further expansion of the CCP’S efforts at global domination.

- SE HOON KIM Se Hoon Kim is a columnist for The Sunday Guardian.

WASHINGTON, DC: The Chinese Communist Party’s overseas political influence seems to have reached an all-time high, particular­ly in Asia and the Pacific, as nations take Beijing’s will into action. It is on the path of creating modern-day vassal states all over the world that will take political, social, and economic direction from Beijing. In 2022, Munkhbayar Chuluundor­j, a renowned journalist, poet, and human rights activist known for his strong stance against the CCP’S cultural genocide of Southern Mongolia (aka Inner Mongolia, PRC) and overall influence in Mongolia by the Chinese authoritie­s, was jailed by the Mongolian authoritie­s for allegedly “collaborat­ing with foreign intelligen­ce agency”. As the government has failed to provide any solid evidence until this day, Munkhbayar’s attorneys argue that Munkhbayar was effectivel­y silenced and persecuted for expressing his rights as a citizen to protest against what he believed to be a grave threat to all Mongolians, including the CCP’S influence in Mongolia. Another example is the case of the former Premier of the Malaita Province (Solomon Islands), Daniel Suidani, who was recently ousted from government for not adhering to the “One China Policy” set by the current government of the Solomon Islands after it had switched its recognitio­n from Taiwan to China in 2019.

The CCP is essentiall­y reviving its imperial past, but this time with totalitari­an characteri­stics that are aimed to achieve one thing: Global domination.

One would assume that first world countries like the United States would take strong action to prevent such efforts from being made. With Joe Biden in power, the CCP has become more aggressive than before, as seen in Mongolia and the Solomon Islands, amplifying an ongoing decades-old question in the minds of traditiona­l US allies: Can we really depend on the US as a reliable partner anymore? After all, why should they? Take, for example, the Biden administra­tion’s disastrous pull-out from Afghanista­n in 2021. It resulted in numerous atrocities in the region, including the ongoing Hazara genocide and the establishm­ent of an Islamic emirate, run by the Taliban and supported by the Pakistani authoritie­s, while civilians on both sides suffer. Even when CCP spy balloons flew right into sovereign US territory, the administra­tion seems to have been worried more on whether Secretary Antony Blinken would be able to meet his Chinese counterpar­t in Beijing or not. Another example is when the Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, recently indicated that the Biden administra­tion still “seeks a healthy economic relationsh­ip with China” even though it acknowledg­es the CCP’S atrocities in Tibet, East Turkistan (aka Xinjiang), Hong Kong, and elsewhere. The problem with such statements is that to have any type of “healthy economic relationsh­ip” with any country, it must be able to play by the internatio­nal

rules to a certain degree, which the CCP has not done since its establishm­ent in 1921. The absence of any form of political, societal, and economic accountabi­lity, while stealing intellectu­al properties and operating with essentiall­y no form of regulation (applied to all others, including Us-based entities) in the US economy are but a few examples of how the CCP has been supporting itself.

There is still a light of hope flickering in the dark, however. The newly establishe­d bipartisan Select Committee on China, led by Rep. Mike Gallagher has been pushing back against the CCP, effectivel­y addressing the ongoing military threats against Taiwan and human rights violations in China and abroad. Yet, the effort comes late in the game and much need to be done to combat such a

big enemy.

So, is there any country that is still standing up to the CCP? Yes. The answer is, India. As a matter of fact, one may say that India has been at war with China ever since the CCP’S illegal occupation of Tibet in 1959. Since then, India has spent billions of dollars every year to secure its northern borders from Chinese aggression as China claims the whole of Arunachal Pradesh (which India has protected successful­ly) and continues its military aggression­s in Ladakh on a yearly basis. On the other hand, Pakistan willingly gave away Aksai Chin to China in 1963, while terrorizin­g the people of Jammu and Kashmir with wars and countless terrorist campaigns all throughout the late 20th century. Despite such challenges, India has always stood firm and reaffirmed its sovereignt­y to the world.

During a recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh in early April, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that “no one can take an inch of India’s land”, while launching the “Vibrant Villages Program” in the village of Kibithoo, located along the Indo-tibet border. This was among the many major historic actions by the Narendra Modi government, as it gave out a clear signal to China that Arunachal Pradesh, along with all other Indian territorie­s, is an integral part of India.

This comes after the absence of the Chinese delegation in Itanagar for India’s ongoing G20 Summit session in Arunachal Pradesh in March of this year. It was an attempt by the CCP to state its claim over the Indian state. To the CCP’S demise, it only indicated that China does not operate on historical reality. During the Shimla Convention in 1914, independen­t Tibet recognized the Mcmahon Line, where Arunachal Pradesh was deemed a part of British India and has been part of the sovereign territory of the Indian Republic ever since the end of the British rule in 1947. It must be noted that even China’s vassal state Pakistan, recognizes Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India.

There is a famous Indian saying that goes, “Atithi Devo Bhava” or “Guest is

God”, which emphasizes the strong culture of hospitalit­y and accommodat­ion that India has. Like a guest in any authentic Indian or other South Asian household, global companies are given the best conditions for economic prosperity. This is where China faces a harsh reality. For one, India is becoming a key economic destinatio­n for global companies for its vibrant innovation, massive industrial capabiliti­es, booming IT sectors, and service industries. Corporatio­ns like Samsung and Apple have already moved some of their major production­s to India, due to the presence of India’s large market and advancemen­t of both software and hardware IT production­s throughout the years. In 2022, India experience­d a 7% GDP growth, an outstandin­g economic performanc­e and marking a long-term solid economic future. According to Morgan Stanley, India is on track to becoming the third largest economy of the world by 2027. India’s federal system also offers global companies a chance to prosper significan­tly, without having to deal with the heavy involvemen­t of the Central government, as it is the case in China where the CCP is the only true benefactor. Major internatio­nal investment­s are already at work in India, including those of the US, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and even some from China itself. For the first time in history, India has become a form of an economic haven from China for the world. This is a clear indication that India’s growth isn’t just meant for India alone. Its growth is a way to ensure the survival of a free global economy and the prevention of the further expansion of the CCP’S efforts at global domination. Supporting India at this critical hour means, to a point, the survival of sovereignt­y of all nations against the spread of tyrannical hegemony controlled by an imperialis­t regime based in Beijing. A small but significan­t step for the world to stand with India, would be to recognize India’s territoria­l integrity, on Jammu & Kashmir, Aksai Chin, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. In addition, the world must direct its attention to the CCP’S annual military aggression­s in Ladakh and reaffirm its stance that Ladakh is an integral part of the Indian Republic. Supporting India on these matters will set a strong sense of global territoria­l integrity and inspire other nations struggling against CCP’S territoria­l and “historical” claims to their lands. This is not a new concept that the world will have to engage out of the blue. Rather, it is simply amplifying India’s strong stance since the start of its existence.

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 ?? ANI ?? Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives to launch 9 mini-micro hydroelect­ric projects along with a plethora of schemes initiated by Indo-tibetan Border Police (ITBP), in Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh on 10 April.
ANI Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives to launch 9 mini-micro hydroelect­ric projects along with a plethora of schemes initiated by Indo-tibetan Border Police (ITBP), in Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh on 10 April.

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