Just for the sake of argument, if China decides to use this as an opportunity to break the "cycle of hostility"... what will be the Indian response?
More specifically, how will the politicians (Sonia et al.), the nationalist voters and the Indian media, allow the GoI to respond?
I think any friendly move on China's side will just end up as a regretful loss of face for us, because the GoI cannot respond in a similar manner. Just my opinion.
CD,
Its fair for you or anyone else for that matter to feel this way.
My view is that both China & India are keeping their cards close to their chests as of now and showing little just to see what bargains they can drive from each other.
India holds a Govt in exile,land claimed to be S Tibet , has good relations with Formosa ( now Taiwan) , all of which are an irritant to China. Not to mention its domination in S Asia - a region dear to China for the access it provides to the gulf and the shortening of its logistic chain into regions of China which could get developed . The interest in the port of Gwadar is a link to the same. The 'disturbance' in Baluchistan will come in the way & with its presence in Af and ' other' means India has the ability to if not scuttle the plan but cause serious setbacks. India also by its presence in Bhutan coupled with Sikkim being an Indian state is not soother to China either.
China on the other hand holds Aksai Chin, has an ever increasing claim line, ferments trouble in the NE states and tries to woo the Indian neighborhood. The defeat of 62 is something that affects the India psyche and has not been forgotten ( an event which can only be matched by the presence of the US 7th fleet in the Bay of Bengal in 71). Its support to Pak is worrisome but not a major concern as events in 71 showed that besides making noises no nation embroils itself in anothers fight and own interests are paramount.
There surely are many other considerations some of which have been hinted at & others are best left unsaid.
The bottom line is that both nations need to & will grow in the days ahead. This century is undoubtedly that of Asia & China & India shall be the major drivers. It may seem to some as competition but there is room for both & both need stability to move ahead. Both nations have stable forms of Govt which may seem odd to outsiders but the ppl of both nations are happy with their systems. My recent trip to China showed to me that if the Chinese system is bad ( lack of democracy etc) as ppl like to say, hell its works well there. May all nations have such 'bad ' systems.
All in all there are more commonalities in interests than divergences.
To me it appears quite like the bargaining ladies do while shopping when they begin from a virtual zero and strike a bargain midway. It actually ends up with a win -win both for the buyer & the seller.
The UNSC issue may well turn out to be a good thing for both India & China & both need to see it positively. We Asians have elephant memories & an even larger ego.
