Hi Mike. Yes, I understand what you mean. China should hold on to the moral high ground by not bombing poor 3rd world countries like the US does.
But make no mistake! India is not as poor or weak as you think! They do not need your sympathy. In fact, they see themselves as technologically superior to China in military gear!!! That is why they are eager for war against China.
They think that with all the high-tech they purchase from USA, Israel and Russia, they are ready for war with China. Please throw away your prejudices and preconceptions about what India is about. They are much much wealthier now than back in the 1990's or 1980's. Open your eyes and read some Indian media or browse this internet forum.
In the same way as China, India has a bunch of territorial problems with its neighbors. But unlike China, India does not believe in "peaceful rise." Its strategy is to ally itself with distant powers such as Russia and US to defeat neighbors like China and Pakistan.
I agree with Hong Wu. India will be a problem during China's peaceful rise. I have seen economic projections and in a few decades, India's GDP will only be second to the United States. That translates to a lot of rupees for military equipment. And we know to whom that weapon will be directed. Not against Pakistan, who lags behind in economic development, but China. Why? Because India wants to be the dominant power of Asia. Their ambition is in direct collision with China.
I have read many Indians in this forum saying they want to cooperate with China, but for several reasons, friction is likely to outweigh cooperation. For one, we share no common ideology, no common language. China is allied with Pakistan and Indians give sanctuary to Tibetan rebels. We compete for influence among Asian nations and we compete for the best military equipment.
The fact is clear: China and India are competitors, and will stay so for the foreseeable future. The only way I can see them becoming friends and allies is in the unlikely event a third party becomes a belligerent military power, like a new Imperial Japan or a new Bush Jr. in the White House.
As Hong Wu said, many Chinese fall into the trap of thinking that India is full of hot air. They may be relatively harmless now, but they will become a serious threat in a few decades.
As for how to deal with an emerging India, the solution cannot be appeasement. Appeasing them will only embolden they pride. I suggest strengthening Sino-Pakistani alliance, developing Pakistan's economy, improving relationships with other nations in Asia, and achieving our control to the second island chain. It is also important to settle the Taiwan issue. Immediate reunification may be unrealistic, but we should labour to sever the Taiwan-American alliance so that Taiwan is no longer America's "unsinkable aircraft carrier," and the vulnerable underbelly of China.
China has a lot of work to do. And perhaps our labour is so great that the Indian issue takes a back seat in the public discussion. But it behooves us not to ignore India and its threat to our security and sovereignty.