Published 10:55 IST, June 18th 2020
'Boycott China' call forces Beijing to blink; nervous 'dangerous position' warning issued
Reacting to anti-China protests in India, Beijing has said that India should curb ‘boycott China’ voices as tensions between the two countries escalates.
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On Wednesday, anti-China protests were held at multiple locations across the country over the killing of 20 Indian soldiers in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, with agitators demanding revenge, boycotting of Chinese products and severing trade ties. The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) held a similar protest in New Delhi demanding a boycott of Chinese products. Reacting to these protests, China has said that India should curb ‘boycott China’ voices after the border clash.
Placing bilateral ties in a "dangerous position"
In an opinion piece published in its mouthpiece Global Times, Beijing said that some extreme anti-China groups and individuals in India have been promoting a China "boycott." Citing the example of Swadeshi Jagran Manch and terming its call "irresponsible", the mouthpiece said that the call has been echoed by a handful of Indian celebrities with large numbers of followers which is placing bilateral ties in a "dangerous position."
"Rational voices in India have repeatedly pointed out that it is unrealistic and self-destructive for Asia's third-largest economy to launch frictions with the largest economy in the region. And blindly associating border issues with investments and trade is illogical. The rational majority in the South Asian nation - particularly those involved in economic development and politics - is unlikely to allow anti-China groups to incite hatred, escalate border issues or interrupt economic ties with China," the piece titled 'India should curb ‘boycott China’ voices after border clash' on Wednesday stated.
China's restraint is "not weak"
It added, "While assessing the new tensions at the border, India should understand that China's restraint is not weak. The two nations should cherish their precious development opportunities and maintain good bilateral ties. It would be extremely dangerous for India to allow anti-China groups to stir public opinion, thus escalating tensions. The priority now for both sides and the region is to accelerate economic recovery."
With mounting pressure on economies this year due to Coronavirus pandemic, the economic development on both sides will inevitably suffer huge losses if China and India allow border tensions to escalate, it further said and advised India to concentrate on development while there are "huge uncertainties around the world."
The article concluded by saying that the space for economic cooperation between the two countries is vast and is also of great significance to the regional and global economies in overcoming the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. It doesn't remark, however, on China's unbridled economic aggression and debt-trapping.
10:55 IST, June 18th 2020