The decision by India and China to disengage in the Doklam conflict, which has been lingering on for more than two months, is certainly India’s win over a bullying neighbour. Yet, it could be a ploy for another Chinese move in future. Why?China had been telling India to withdraw its troops from Doklam before any dialogue. India had asked for withdrawal of troops on both sides. Now that China has agreed to what India had wanted, the development will be construed as China’s submission to Indian will. It is noteworthy that China tried every threat to bully India — from starting a war to sponsoring insurgency within India.These threats make the Chinese climbdown very significant. China has been a dominant force in the Asia-Pacific region for a long time. It has often deployed its military power to achieve economic ends. But the climbdown will erode its regional supremacy.The message that goes to smaller countries is that China might not back its threats with substantial action. While the Chinese retreat can encourage smaller countries to look it in the eye, it will also give India an aura of a regional power. Many countries used to choose China over India. But now India can get equal treatment as it pushes its ‘Act East’ policy.Effectively, disengagement means China has been beaten back by India. The message that goes out to the world will hit Chinese interests badly. Disengagement will harm China’s plan to increase its economic footprint to Africa and Europe, through its ambitious One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, and its search for military bases in far-flung areas.So far China combined its military and economic might to achieve its global ends. The Doklam climbdown chips at its image of a powerful country. The whole affair paints China as a bully who barks but cannot bite.China cannot live with this image downgrade. This will seriously impede its plans for global economic domination by partnering with dozens of smaller countries and then turning into mere colonies by bullying them into submission.That’s why its Doklam climbdown can be a pretext for some more sinister act. It can choose to strike again in some other area. It can find a more strategic way of offending India. It can even devise an aggression where India becomes more vulnerable.