Sikkim standoff: As the standoff in the Dokalam area continues, Global Times in its editorial also claimed that the Chinese public was infuriated by India’s ‘provocation’. Sikkim standoff: As the standoff in the Dokalam area continues, Global Times in its editorial also claimed that the Chinese public was infuriated by India’s ‘provocation’.

Stepping up its attack on India through its editorials, the Chinese state media on Wednesday asked Indian troops to move out of Dokalam area in Sikkim ‘with dignity or be kicked out’, describing the situation as ‘worryingly tense’. Two newspapers in China, Global Times and China Daily, warned India of consequences if it ‘incites’ China. While China’s nationalistic tabloid Global Times said India should be taught a “bitter lesson”, China Daily said India should look in the mirror. The Global Times said in its editorial that India will suffer “greater losses” than in 1962 if it “incites” border clashes with China.

As the standoff in the Dokalam area continues, Global Times in its editorial also claimed that the Chinese public was infuriated by India’s ‘provocation’. In its editorial, as quoted by PTI, it said: “We believe the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is powerful enough to expel Indian troops out of Chinese territory. The Indian military can choose to return to its territory with dignity, or be kicked out of the area by Chinese soldiers.” Also Read: China envoy talks tough: Situation grave, no compromise, India must pull back

It further added: “We need to give diplomatic and military authorities full power to handle the issue. We call on Chinese society to maintain high-level unity on the issue. The more unified the Chinese people are, the more sufficient conditions the professionals will have to fight against India and safeguard our interests. This time, we must teach New Delhi a bitter lesson.”

An editorial in China’s Global Times. An editorial in China’s Global Times.

The editorial reiterated that it believes that the face-off in the Donglang area will end with the Indian troops in ‘retreat’. “If New Delhi believes that its military might can be used as leverage in the Donglang area (referred to as Dokalam or Dok La), and it is ready for a two-and-a-half front war, we have to tell India that the Chinese look down on their military power,” it said. Also Read: On India-China Himalayan face-off, China may just have a case

The editorial was clearly referring to Army Chief General Bipin Rawat’s remark that India ‘was ready for a two-and-a-half front war’ last month. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley last month hit out at China for saying India should learn from its historical lessons. Jaitley responded to their statement saying India of 2017 is different from what it was in 1962. According to the editorial in China Daily, India’s defeat in the 1962 war was perhaps too ‘humiliating’ for some in the Indian military and that is why they are talking ‘belligerently’ this time.

Ever since the Sikkim standoff began on June 6 this year, Chinese media have repeatedly carried several pieces warning India against inciting border tensions. “India should look in the mirror. It was not able to refute the evidence of illegal border-trespassing and coerced its small neighbour Bhutan to shoulder the blame,” the China Daily said, as quoted by PTI.

The Global Times also said that China attaches great importance to domestic stability and doesn’t want to be mired in a mess with India, adding that New Delhi would be naive to believe that Beijing will make concessions to its demands.

“New Delhi’s real purpose is to turn the Donglang area of China into a disputed region and block China’s road construction there,” the editorial said. “Cold war-obsessed India is suspicious” that China is building the road to cut off the Siliguri Corridor, an area held by Indians as strategically important for India to control its turbulent northeast area. India is taking the risk to betray the historical agreement and wants to force China to “swallow” the result, it said.

China and India have been engaged in a standoff in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction since June 6 after a Chinese Army construction party came to build a road.

(With PTI inputs)

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